The Legacy of Sparta
by MetalGearMantis
Summary: Perseus has been at the centre of history's greatest wars for the past three thousand years. But with Olympus' greatest ever threats looming, the time has finally come for the broken yet brilliant warrior to step out from the shadows that have hidden him for so long, and stop acting as the evil necessity he views himself as. And instead become the hero that he's truly meant to be.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

 **Hello ladies and gentlemen, my name is MetalGearMantis, but for those of you who read 'The Last Spartan", you will know that once operated under a different pen-name, and that thanks to several** _ **ignorant**_ **people, I decided to abandon that account and start again.**

 **And so here we are.**

 **Now that I am officially finished with my exams, I have now got a tone of free time which I plan to use in order to re-post and re-work this story alongside my other works (which, if you like this, you will more than likely also enjoy).**

 **So sit back and read…**

 **And let the journey start again.**

* * *

 _(Unknown Forest, Near Sparta, 1100 BC)_

The air was still and cold that night, a rare occurrence given the fact that the sea resided a little over a mile away and was as restless as a town on the eve of war. The waves lapped against the shore and lingered as long as they possibly could, almost like a young child clinging to their mother for dear life, slowly changing the plethora of golden colours that created such a wondrous part of nature a sickly golden brown that even the most unobservant of people would be able to see as un-natural...

Several miles away, deep in the heart of the verdant green woods, the peace of the night was disrupted by the angered and indignant shouts of a band of thieves, murders and soldiers as they shattered branches underfoot with a sickening crack and the leaves tore from their resting places on the luscious, chocolate-brown branches like paper. Screams and shouts could be heard as well as the murderous clash of steel upon celestial bronze as a family fought to protect the last hope of maintaining its legacy.

Another blood curdling scream ripped through the silent forest as the creatures of the night fled to their homes as they listened to the voices of dying men and women as the murderous sounds crept through the forest like the voices of ancient ghosts that had been disturbed from their never ending slumber.

Finally, the young woman who had been running none-stop for hours on end finally keeled over in exhaustion as she felt her legs give from underneath her, the acute pain shooting through her legs, making them feel like they were on fire whilst her chest felt ready to burst from the strain she had placed upon her lungs for so long. Her eyes stung as the tears she had let flow unchecked for the past few hours finally made their presence known to the young woman who so desperately needed rest; but knew she would find none where she was, even though it was so beautiful.

The young woman had landed in a small clearing no wider than seven or eight metres and was about as long, with soft, verdant green grass coating the entire area as leaves slowly began to fall like the starting drops of a winter's rainfall, their beautiful golden brown leaves reflecting the small light the stars above the woman cast down upon the earth, as if trying to offer what little support they could to the girl. In the middle of the clear was a small pool filled with crystal clear water, shimmering and shifting in the starlight cast down upon it as almost as if the very water itself was restless at the events transpiring in front of it... so close yet so powerless to stop the inevitable.

The woman finally managed to find an ounce of strength within her body to allow her to slowly began to crawl towards the water's edge, her throat burning from thirst, as if Hephaestus himself has set fire to her mouth as she slowly but painfully used her hands and knees to make it over to the side of the small pool.

For a few seconds the woman considered trying to attract _his_ attention here, but knew all too well that even if she did, there would be little he could do if she did not keep moving until she finally reached the one places that he could protect her from, the one place that she could save her young child from the unholy wrath that had been sent against her and her baby boy. Slowly as she looked over the water, the young woman finally found it within herself to stare into the heart of the water to examine the extent of the damage done to her as she ran from the murderous animal that demanded her sons head on a spike.

Her long and normally silk like chestnut hair that flowed like a river down to the middle of her back was no longer luscious and beautiful but instead matted with blood and stuck together by sweat, whilst several twigs and other pieces of forest rubbish stuck to her hair like leeches. The young woman slowly ran her hands over the opposite arm as she examined the hundreds of scrapes and bruises she had sustained, the bruises blacker than the shadows that threatened to consume her both physically and mentally whilst her crimson red blood flowed like a waterfall from the numerous cuts, turning her arms from their normally gorgeous tanned colour to a horrific mix of blood and darkened flesh. She continued to examine her body as she looked to her dress and the numerous tears and holes that now riddled it like arrow holes whilst blood poured slowly yet steadily from the various cuts and gashes the young woman had sustained on her journey thus far.

Eventually, when she reached her face after a few seconds, the young woman could not help but let forth a fresh batch of tears as she examined her face. Once considered the beauty of the city of Sparta, the young woman could have easily passed for a queen rather than just a low-level noble. Her cheekbones rested high on her face, high enough that they gave her full and smooth cheeks but low enough that they did not stretch the skin beyond what was necessary like a deer's skin on a leather makers rack. Her chin was defined and came to ever such a slight point, the skin again naturally stretched perfectly over the features of her lower face. Her nose was perfect in every single way, not a single nook hindered the perfection of the straight line that was her noses bridge, whilst the actual nose itself curled up ever so slightly towards the end, giving her another feature that screamed nobility when one glanced in her direction. Her forehead was perfectly proportional to the rest of her body, just like everything else. Her lips were a luscious deep red that so many women yearned for but no matter how many times they applied their make-up, they could never come close to matching the natural beauty of the woman many men in the city would have fought to the death over or abandoned their wives and children so that they might marry her. But despite all of this, there was one part of her body that stood head and shoulders above the rest whilst leading people to believe that she was a goddess and not a mere mortal woman...

That part was her eyes.

They were unlike anything the world had ever seen, a deep, luscious, sea-blue that seemed to be almost as deep and powerful as the oceans around Greece themselves. And unlike most sets of eyes of the time which burned with a fierce hatred and malice towards others, inspiring fear into all they glanced upon. But instead, these eyes showed a woman full of compassion and love towards her friends and family whilst also displaying a kind nature towards others as well. But also, these eyes showed a fierceness that even Ares himself would struggle to match if one of her loved ones came under threat from anyone, be they a man or a god, immortal or invincible, those eyes showed that no matter who hurt her loved ones, they would all meet the same sticky end as any mere mortal man would.

But today, all her eyes burned with was a fierce hatred for her attackers and fear for her son's future.

The day had started out as it normally would, the young woman's husband would kiss her goodbye before he set off to lead a patrol around the city for the best part of the day until evening came and dinner would be ready. She had stayed at home that day as she continued to cuddle her son and spend as much time with her son as possible before he was finally taken away and subjected to the same torturous treatment as any other young male Spartan child as the city prepared him to become the ultimate warrior.

A soldier without equal.

Even now, plans had been drawn up by the family as the prepared to name the child, but the young woman was hardly going to let a bunch of old fools decide upon the name of the child she had bought into this world almost at the cost of her own life. No, she would be damned before such a thing could happen. The rest of the day had been spent arguing with Gerdus's father, Risusus as they debated on what the child should be called. They argued for hours until her husbands hurried return with blood covering his body...

That was when all Hades broke loose.

The assassins attacked the family house without warning as they broke into the house and began butchering the family...one member at a time. Each blood stained sword earning its colour after it cut a defenceless member of the family down...the rich blood flowing onto the floor as if it were the blood of any other family in Sparta.

"RUN!" Was all Adriana heard her young husband scream as he threw himself at the assassins to buy her the time needed to get to the sea where her child's real farther could protect her...but that was only if she could reach the sea before the murderers reached her first.

Adriana slowly looked down to her chest where the only thing that mattered to her in the world rested peacefully after his grandfather had put him to sleep. The child was as bald as the old man and was only four months old...but even so, for a mortal who could see through the mist, Adriana could feel the raw and untamed power of the boy's farther slowly roll off of him in waves that every beast in Greece seemed capable of sensing. Even though the power the boy wielded would be but a shadow of what he would command if he got to grow older than a few months, it was still terrifying to think such a small baby would be so damned powerful.

"My precious little darling, even if Zeus comes after you himself, I will protect you and get you to your fathers safety..." She whispered into the child's ear...even though she knew that her love was prohibited from interfering with his son's life, Adriana hoped she would be able to convince him that the boy had done no wrong and deserved the protection of his father until he knew how to survive properly in the outside world. After all, no laws stated he could not at least offer indirect protection to his own son, regardless of how he viewed the laws of Olympus.

Suddenly, Adriana was bought out of her tender moment with her son when she finally realised that the shouts and screams of her pursuers were no longer being carried on the winds like the whispers of the ghosts of the forest. No, she had realised that these taunts and shouts were full-bodied and loud, each and every last letter as clear as the next one, their venom filled words and gold driven swords slowly growing louder and louder with each and every passing second, meaning the worst possible thing for Adriana and her baby son...

They were getting closer.

"BRING THEM TO ME ALIVE! I WILL CUT THIS LITTLE BRATS' HEAD OFF BEFORE THAT DAMNED WHORE AND TEACH HER A LESSON FOR DARING TO CROSS ME!" Screamed the voice of the one man...the one _thing_ she hated more than the animals that had murdered her brothers, sisters and husband. Slowly, hatred began to well up inside of Adriana as she considered throwing herself into the small lake in front of her and depriving the animal chasing her of his retribution for refusing the "honour" of sleeping with the God of war and patron of Sparta...and even if she did condemn herself to the fields of punishment, it at least meant that Ares did not get the satisfaction himself.

"No...remember what the Oracle at Delphi stated...he _must_ survive and meet his farther or all hope for Olympus will be lost and the Gods will fall. And I will NOT be responsible for ending the world just because I want to spite a thuggish God of war." Adriana growled to herself as she slowly managed to pick herself up with the little energy she had left along with the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Eventually, Adriana managed to gather enough energy and focus to break back into a slight run/jog as she left the clearing and resumed her journey to the edge of the ocean.

Slowly, darkness fell around the young mother as she continued to pick her way through the thick foliage with a slightly surprising amount of ease as she clambered through bushes using her already ruined arms to shield her family's only hope of continuing on into the annuals of history...the one chance they would have at attaining revenge. Adriana's will-power finally outweighed the sea of utter agony she was in as she forced her muscles to keep on working despite their screaming protests and the constant flood of pain that they subjected her too.

But she kept running.

It seemed like an age, the voices slowly growing quieter and quieter before turning back into the whispers she had heard when she first broke into the clearing where she had rested, their ice-cold undertones slowly fading from Adriana's ears as she continued to run through the slowly thickening forest, desperate to find a way out...but she was tiring. He legs were now screaming in protest and the muscles felt ready to tear themselves from her body. Her entire figure screamed in agony and protest and the prospect of having to keep on going, and whilst this would normally not be an issue for the resilient Spartan woman... the trouble for Adriana was that her mind was listening, and slowly but surely her body was beginning to win the battle.

' _I can't keep going...we're not going to make it.'_ She thought to herself as she burst through yet another treeline to a wondrous and somewhat curious sight.

Adriana had stumbled into another clearing, this time the entire area was drowning in a sea of golden and brown leaves as they slowly fell from their host trees as they shed their load for the coming winter like a gentle winters snowfall. But unlike the first clearing...this one was already occupied by others.

A small fire burnt in the middle of the clearing, a soft crackling sound like leaves underfoot now audible to Adriana over her beating heart, the soft golden and orange glow of the fire a comforting and inviting sight as the flames pranced and flowed like the most elegant of dancers, the movements fluid yet also raw and beautiful on a level that was beyond intellectual scrutiny, as it was simply impossible to argue otherwise.

Around the dancing flames were three hooded people who had yet to notice her presence within the small clearing.

The first was clearly a man. He seemed to be somewhat slightly built but the confidence in the way the man held himself spoke of great power and ability from his position underneath his worn, black and tatty cloak. The second was shorter than the first and also very slight of frame, indicating that it was a woman who resided underneath the tatty green looking cloak. The final person looked like a child sat at the campfire with its parents, but the power she radiated and the way she held herself like the other two indicated one thing and one thing only to Adriana.

' _They're Olympians.'_

Slowly the three figures noticed a fourth person was now in their clearing, their aura slowly growing more and more powerful as the young Spartan woman made her way over to the three gods, her tired legs almost giving out with every last gods damned step that she took. It was painful...but not as painful as the guarded looks she was gaining from the three Gods as they stared at the mortal from underneath their hoods.

Finally, one of the deities' spoke.

"Who are you?" The man snarled in a voice that almost made Adriana drop dead from fright. It was cold and dead, almost as if it were the very wings of death fluttering against her ears, the words of the immortal being echoing in Adriana's ears for what felt like an eternity, but in actuality had only been several moments.

Just before Adriana could reply, a second voice spoke up, in an attempt to stop the male god from doing something foolish.

"Peace brother, the child that woman carriers is born to be either our saviour or our downfall, so treat the boy's mother with respect in these final moments!" Snarled a second voice that seemed calm and in control, but also filled with a stiff and very clear warning to the first character. Surprisingly the voice had emitted from the child like figure still sat hunched on the ground.

Finally the third person scoffed before speaking, "You truly believe that this is the child of the prophecy? He is millennia early...unless..." The third figure slowly raised a cloaked hand to her hidden face as she slowly lost herself in thought.

"I am Adriana, wife of Gerdus, captain of the Spartan militia. Please help me! My child is all I have left and all I wish is for him to accomplish whatever it was that the oracle of Delphi seems to believe he must do." Adriana croaked as she slowly fell to one knee a few metres from the three Olympians after slowly wandering closer whilst they conversed. The first figure turned his gaze from the other two cloaked God's before speaking.

"Who is the boy's farther?" He asked in a somewhat more less threatening tone...but it was still non-the-less terrifying. Adriana froze for a second, knowing that her next words could either lead to her child's death or his salvation. Olympians' were notorious for their rivalry, and as such she just had to pray and hope that the god's in question were friendly to her son's father.

"He is the son of Poseidon. His mortal step-father was the Spartan warrior Gerdus. He has received the blessing of Sparta and...and..." Adriana was close to finishing before slowly fell backwards, the stress and pain slowly catching up to her. She expected to hit the floor with a heavy thud but was surprised as she fell onto a soft and deep pile of golden and brown leaves.

"Rest, daughter of Sparta whilst we discuss the issue." The elder woman stated as she and the other two Gods quickly began whispering to one another, the words unclear but their meaning obvious...

Eventually after what seemed like an eternity, the man spoke.

"I cannot save you as none of our powers work on Mortals, and our laws would disallow any action anyways." This caused Adriana's resolve to falter slightly; had she really run all this way and lost everything to that _bastard,_ only to be denied at the last minute? The way the god spoke suggested that even her precious son would be beyond his aid. She was ready to scream to the heavens in frustration, and finally give up; but she was stopped by the very same voice that had seemingly denied her final hope.

"But I _can_ save the child."

Those words caused Adriana's heart to soar with joy, but before she could voice her thanks, the man's deathly voice interrupted her.

" _However_ , there are two things you must do for the boy," the God paused briefly, giving the young woman to nod her head in understanding, "...The first is to give him your blessing..." He told Adriana in a voice holding neither love or compassion...or any emotions for that matter. But Adriana knew better than to deny the order of an Olympian. The young mother looked down at her young child and felt a stinging pain creep into her heart. She knew what the man's next words would be and she knew who he was...but in all honesty she could not think of a better man to look after her young son. But that was when an obstacle arose.

She had yet to name the boy as per her husband's family traditions. She knew that the family normally picked a name after five months with a small ceremony at the main family home, with the name being agreed upon by everyone. That responsibility had finally fallen all onto Adriana's shoulders...it was both worrying and comforting at the same time. Comforting because Adriana knew that she could finally name the child what she and her husband were pleading with her husband's father to name him for almost four and a half months...and finally, now he was gone, she could name the boy that. But then there was also the fear that the wrong name could make the child look foolish as he fought the enemy and earned eternal glory for the sake of the Gods... and _Kleos_ was worth nothing if one did not have a name worth remembering.

But then again, the name of arguably one of Greece's most powerful and famed Demigod's would be more than great name to name her own child. After several tense seconds, Adriana decided upon the name of her child that would lead Olympus to glory...or die trying.

"I give you my blessing...Perseus." The young mother whispered as she managed to crane her head to kiss her son. The man sighed slightly, almost as if he was relieved over the fact she had finally reached her decision before speaking again.

"Secondly, I need you to agree to allow me to adopt the boy and turn him into my own son. He will receive all of the powers and privileges of a true son of my realm. He will lead its forces when the time is right as he avenges the sins of those who wrong others over the course the time of his reign. He will become the one thing the God's fear..." The man paused for a second as if to allow himself a chance to build up some sort of dramatic tension, "...he will become powerful. More powerful than every Demigod who has ever lived! He will become my crown prince. My heir and son."

Adriana felt her entire mind freeze at the god's words.

' _I have to give up my baby boy?'_

Adriana had expected those words from the god, but even as she tried to rationalize the situation, the more passionate part of her mind fought back.

She couldn't do that, she would rather drown herself and the boy than let anyone take him from her. She had been the one to carry him and nurture him as he grew within her womb; she had been the one to give birth to him and bring him into this world. He was as much a part of her own soul as her mind was: the bond that they shared was completely inseparable and unbreakable. Call it motherly instinct or just plain mortal stubbornness but she was not willing to just surrender her son to a god, no matter the situation. It hurt her to even be apart from him at night when he slept, so to live for an eternity without seeing her son, despite knowing how close he would be….. it would be like ripping her own heart out.

' _I can't do it. I promised Gerdus that I wouldn't let anyone take him away from me… and I don't want to leave my precious baby boy with someone who may abuse him because of his powers and potential… but….'_

But she knew it was for the best.

No matter how much she wanted to scream about it, to curse to the heavens themselves with words as powerful and damaging as the thunderbolts of Zeus, she knew deep down in her heart that she had no choice. Her son was destined to do great things for the world, and no matter how much she wished it was not true, nobody but the god in-front of her would be able to ensure that her precious baby boy was able to turn his flame of potential into a roaring inferno of power and skill that would see him safely through his battles.

' _In the end, the needs of the many must outweigh the needs of the few. I will be endangering the entire world if I don't send him away; and as much as it pains me to admit it, it's the right thing to do regardless. To harm my baby boy just because I am too selfish and spiteful…I can't do it. I just hope that this is the right decision to make.'_

Raising the still sleeping bundle to her lips, Adriana gently pressed her lips against the baby's forehead, gently kissing him so that she did not disturb his dreamless slumber. And as she did so, she attempted to convey every last feeling that she could to her precious child.

The joy of him simply being a part of her life, if only for a while.

The excitement of seeing his first few birthdays passing.

The pride she felt due to her knowledge of the great man he would eventually become.

She attempted to convey this alongside so many other emotions and thoughts; each one more important than the last. But above them all stood one, clearing the torrent of thoughts by miles.

And that was love.

The love that only a mother could give her son; even if it was only for a fleeting few seconds.

' _At least I'm able to say goodbye, I suppose. Most women in Sparta don't get this kind of luxury; I should be thankful for getting this chance.'_

Adriana had a rough idea of what sort of journey her boy was about to embark upon...and she couldn't help but feel the pride well up in her slowly dying body as she uttered her final words.

"I allow you to adopt my only son, my lord...turn him into the hero I and even the great city-state of Sparta could never hope to..." The woman whispered as she slowly felt the last of her life-force drift from her body.

" _Lord Hades"_

* * *

 _1187 - Modern day Israel, Outside the city walls of Jerusalem, Sultan Saladin's tent._

The young man in the room looked at his face in the small mirror he had bought with him from the palace in the holy city of Acre almost a year ago. It seemed like an eternity since he had begun his rise to power amongst the Sultans and warlords who ruled the middle eastern area he had been forced into...and in all honest truth it had been an eternity. The young man could not help but chuckle quietly to himself as he finally bought his dead gaze to look into the mirror, expecting to find something different about his face, but he knew the price he had payed to become the one who would eventually save the world prevented him from changing naturally unless it was a glorious war wound.

Even though he looked thirteen, he stood at an imposing 5'10 – 5'11 tall. His body was built like the strongest of men on the planet, lean yet incredibly powerful and completely muscular, not an ounce of fat could be seen on his well-toned if somewhat horrifically scared body...each one a painful reminded of being careless in the face of the enemy.

His arms seemed to be made of rock as well as his nerves...but it was the face that drew the attention of all those who had seen the young man without his helmet or mask.

His face almost screamed royalty to all who had seen it. A mop of jet black hair that naturally spiked backwards occupied his head. His cheekbones were high enough that they stretched the skin upon his face so that they appeared full but not too full or too ghastly and thin. His chin was slightly square but also extremely well-defined, much like his jaw line, again not so much that he looked as if the skin was pulled too tight and his chin looking like the subject of magic or other such means of changing a person's looks, it looked all natural and perfect. His nose flowed down without any form of break or physical distortion which surprised even the warrior as he had been in many titanic battles over the years, and of every bone in his body apart from his back, his nose appeared to be the one thing nobody could ever break.

He smiled inwardly at the small, if somewhat childish achievement as he continued to look at his face. His lips were just like his mother's according to his farther. Perfect in tone and colour in every way: they were small but filled out whilst always tapering into something reminiscent of a sad smile...a look of longing that the warrior knew that even after all of this time...he would never be able to lose. Shaking his head, he continued to examine his facial features as he finally drew his attention to the one thing that even his own farther was terrified of.

And no matter how hard anyone tried to deny it, this part of his face was both beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

It was his eyes.

His irises were a deep, verdant and luscious sea-green most of the time when he was not in his father's realm. They seemed almost as powerful as the oceans themselves, holding untold beauty and horror like the oceans in their depths, the colour a reminder of both his farther and his grandmother. But when looking into his eyes when he was at peace, a deep chestnut brown could be seen, holding a certain level of compassion and love for those the warrior truly cared about, as well as a fierce protectiveness over that which he cared for, which was a select few things.

Other times, or more specifically when in his father's realm or when a great rage burnt within the stoic warrior, his irises would turn as black as the shadows and nights that the warrior called both friend and tool, ally and servant. They displayed his heritage and his position within the city of his farther, and to those who called him both monster and prince, Lord and demon. The colour only beaten in intimidation by the eyes of his own farther. But despite all of this...there was only one more colour that his eyes turned...a colour so terrifying not even his own farther would look at him.

That final colour was the colour of his home city...the city of the perfect warriors.

 _The blood-red of Sparta._

There had only been three times that his eyes had glowed such a fearsome colour. The first was in his battle with one of his old teachers as his frustration grew simply too great at his inability to beat his mentor. The second was during his first quest issued by his farther following his ascension to partial immortality. The final time was when he was betrayed by _her_ ...

And each and every time, those who had been watching could only stand back and watch in horror as both the gift and the curse of his people finally released itself to his service.

' _Stop it Perseus. There's no point in living in the past. Remember it but never dwell in it!'_

The young man viciously shook his head as he fought off the horrific memories that the colour of his home brought with it. It had been something his father and mother had helped him control before it could become a major issue and he could descend into the state of madness that even the god of war would find terrifying.

He smiled slightly as he looked at the last few features adorning his face. His skin was as pale as fallen snow and almost as see-through as spring water in the summer time. The only real trouble behind the almost ethereal beauty of his skin was the horrific scars that adorned the young man's face. The first one was a long and vicious scar that ran from the top of his forehead over his right eye before proceeding downwards, barely missing his eye before etching itself painfully into his right cheek. This was then combined with the poorly done and somewhat horrific stitching scars from where an old _friend_ had done the best they could to repair the damage.

The next set of scars though, made the first one look like a small playground graze.

Three horrifically long scars ran down the side of his left cheek, each one still slightly deep and inflamed after the infernal Ladon's interference. They ran perfectly spaced apart whilst etching into his face deeper and deeper before finally cutting so deep that the skin had been forced to reform around the bone until it could slowly fix itself over the years...and even in 1187 the warrior was still waiting for his body to heal.

He smiled before muttering to himself.

"I find it unlikely that lady Aphrodite has been smiling down on me of late." The young warrior finally broke his gaze away from the mirror and to his surrounding tent. The area itself was rather large considering the size of the tents most of the warriors soldiers slept in. Golden lace was woven into the soft silk fabric depicting glorious battles and heroic deeds of both the Sultan and the many heroes before him.

"Each one more deserving of a spot on my tent than a murderer and a fool like myself." The warrior muttered in a voice as hollow and ice-cold as his fathers.

The floor was adorned with a small rug that was a deep, crimson red that the warrior had seen all too often over his long and bloody life, whilst the deep chocolate like brown of the wooden frame of the bed and other assorted bits and pieces reminded him all too much of the verdant green and brown woods around his mortal world home...a reminder of the beauty of his birthplace that he fought for as well as the place his farther had made him his own...

"Pondering the past, Prince Perseus?" A hollow and somewhat nasally sounding voice asked curiously as it rang out from behind Perseus. Unlike many of the voices Perseus had to deal with on a day-to-day basis, this one spoke flawless ancient Greek that Perseus had waited tens of years to hear, especially when it was from such a close friend. "Alecto, you know you can just call me Perseus." There was silence for a few seconds before a light snickering caused the warrior to spin on his heels to grab his first glance of his friend in decades.

The "leader" of the three fury's stood there with her wings gigantic, raven black, bat like wings folded casually behind her back. She stood at about 5'10 but still managed to maintain an intimidating presence despite her lack of height. She had a somewhat slender figure that Perseus knew was incredibly deceptive, as she was incredibly strong for a creature of her size and build as Perseus had found out the hard way after several "incidents" when he was younger, but now the Fury knew her place after many long years. Her hair was pulled back into a somewhat pony-tail that was allowed to slowly flow down to her shoulders.

Her face was very much the same, defined and somewhat reptilian looking almost, her skin a pale white like his own, a bye-product of spending so much time in his father's realm. Her eyes were a crimson red that made her look even more intimidating and terrifying than many of his father's servants. Her ears tapered to a point and seemed almost elf like. Then there were the fangs. They protruded from out of her mouth and rested casually on her lips, almost like a retarded dog that has forgotten to hold its own tongue in its mouth, making her look like a cross between said dog and a very, very, very unlucky vampire.

"Sorry, Perseus, old habits die-hard. Especially when you haven't seen your friend in well over several decades." The Fury retorted with a small, fanged smile as she looked on at the powerful warrior.

"Well you can blame my farther for that. He claims that we must ensure that the Gods do not simply let their children run rampant and destroy a culture that is older than the ones they now back." Perseus replied as he slowly stretched out his upper body by raising his arms so they almost touched the soft silk fabric of his tent.

"Well you cannot blame him. Those fools on Olympus have grown childish and stupid without an Empire or country to truly guide. Athena guides the English and the _Holy Roman 'Empire'_. Apollo and Artemis remain uninvolved, with the former simply steering his chariot every day and his sister prancing about Europe in search of monsters and demons with her silly man-hating troupe. Zeus resides over the Italian city states as they try to tear one another to pieces whilst his wife mediates over the crumbling Byzantine Empire. Dionysus helps France from time to time whilst Ares simply stirs up pointless wars for the other Gods to have to try to sort out and Poseidon simply sulks in his palace, destroying fleets to pass the time. Only your father has the foresight along with his sister and mother-in-law to do what must be done!" Alecto argued with her friend. And even though she knew she was really preaching to choir, the Fury could see the boy needed some faith restored in his cause. He had been fighting by himself for hundreds of years, so

"Still, it does not mean I have to enjoy putting cities to the sword and digging through the blood soaked past of the evil little bastards the gods spawn every so often," Perseus paused as he placed his head in his hands before sighing and speaking again, "...but enough reminiscing. I take it my father sent you here to help take Jerusalem from that arrogant little son of Zeus?" Perseus asked in a deathly cold voice as he finally bought his head out of his hands and locked gazes with the Fury stood opposite him.

"Of course Perseus. Do you really think your father would let you have all of the fun? He said he would love to join you but he simply cannot given the fact that he is forbidden from interfering. " Alecto replied with a sly smile slowly creeping across her face. Perseus returned the smile and made for the door but was stopped by the Fury. He looked at her with a mixture of confusion and anger until she spoke.

"I think it would be best if you put more clothes on than your loin cloth Perseus."

Said prince of the Underworld stopped and face-palmed as he remembered he was yet to step into his armour. The young prince smiled as he clicked his fingers whilst the Fury snickered at his lack of attentiveness.

Slowly the shadows in the room bent towards the young prince of death and the king of ghosts. The hot, dry, arid air slowly seemed to cool and slowly gain moisture as the shadows were torn from their places as they slowly began creeping across Perseus's body, forming a layer of shadow blacker than the most horrific nightmare. The shadows spread like when the sun's rays finally left the Earth, encapsulating the ghostly white skin until only his eyes remained visible. After several seconds, the shadows quickly began to take shape and form the legendary armour of the faceless Sultan.

The first part to form were his boots. Made of a light-weight Stygian iron alloy, the boots were as black as night and tapered to a slight point in keeping with the areas tradition. Slowly, the leg guards began to form, adorned with golden and silver patterns, the armour itself was arguably becoming a single work of perfect art, as each twirling leaf and each pattern that added itself to the armour slowly added to the almost ethereal beauty of the armour. Finally, the chest piece took shape, a Stygian iron alloy plate-mail solid piece that followed the same ethereal beauty as the rest of the armour, whilst adding a slight silver trim to each edge of the armoured plating. The shoulder pieces were incredibly thin and hardly adorned but still emitted an almost godly feeling.

Then came the helmet.

The first part to appear was the main body of the helmet, the shadows gripping to Perseus's head until they formed the perfect fitting base-helm that would protect him in battle. Next came the golden and silver adorations, each one flowing with a certain amount of ease, the sheer beauty and quality of the armour outclassing any artisan that had ever lived. Finally, once that was completed, the face plate soon formed. Again adorned with silver and gold, the face-plate covered the entirety of Perseus's face, leaving only two narrow slits that emptied into almost perpetual darkness, hiding the face of the Bain of the Crusaders...

Alecto smiled at the visage of the Muslim's greatest leader. The man who, when leading an army, could never be beaten by anyone.

"We should begin. The Christians will not wait for much longer…

" **Saladin**."

Perseus smiled as he stepped out of his tent...

And into his worst nightmare.

* * *

 _(Hade's Palace, 6 am, December 19th, 2010, Crown Prince Perseus's private quarters)_

Perseus sprung bolt upright in his bed, letting out a small yelp as his vision blurred from its sudden exposure to light as he stirred from another night of torturous dreams. At first Percy could hear nothing or seeing anything, nor could he feel. His senses were still waking up and recovering from the shock of such a startling awaking.

His mind was an absolute maelstrom of troubled thoughts...it had been almost three centuries since he last dreamt of _her_. So why he had begun to again was arguably the most troubling of all his confused and lost thoughts as he raked his memory to recall the faintest detail of the dream...and was shocked to find out the only thing he could remember was that he dreamt of her and nothing more.

And that was what was most troubling.

Normally, he could remember every detail of that vile bitches face. How she snorted with laughter at his 'insolence', how he was 'always just a boy' and that he was 'nothing but thorn in her side'.

But no matter how hard he tried, no matter the amount his face turned red with rage and effort, he could not recall a single thing from last night. He could recall nothing save the look on that vile woman's face as she whispered in his ear as his body was crushed under fallen masonry and corpses.

 _ **"You cannot stop us."**_

Percy's face slowly contorted in rage. That woman was the sum of everything he despised in most of the female gender.

Treacherous, lying, deceitful and untrustworthy, his heart almost exploded under the sheer stress his mind was quickly putting on his body. Instinctively, Percy slammed his right fist downwards, smashing into the obsidian bed-side table that once stood next to his bed in his room. Once he had smashed on of the toughest substance on the planet with nothing more than his fists, rage roaring in his ears as he struggled to fight off the curse of his people, Percy began to quickly try and find a way of calming down his thoughts.

Suddenly, a warm presence made itself know as a small feeling of warmth slowly began to creep through the ice-cold veins in Percy's body. At first the feeling was almost non-existent, the sheer hatred of _that_ woman draining Percy of any warmth trying to worm its way into his veins. However, slowly but surely, the bitter hatred and cold loneliness began to fade as warmth slowly began to sweep back through his body.

Slowly, the warmth began to stir Percy's other senses out of their shocked state.

The first back was feeling. And the first thing he could feel was how _wet_ he was from all of the sweating he had clearly (and still was) doing. It made his skin feel damp and uncomfortable, like he was not in his own skin. He hadn't sweated in his sleep to this extent in many long and torturous nights, making him feel even more uncomfortable and irritable than he actually already was... but even with this back he could not pinpoint the location that all of this warmth within was coming from.

Next back was the sense of sound, and much to the surprise of Percy, he did not hear his mother complaining or his father scolding him for breaking the furniture _again_. The person who was with him was actually shushing him as Percy felt someone gently but sternly forced him back onto his sweat drenched pillow...all the time simply calming the prince of the underworld down with sweet nothings that served to ease the tension from Percy's battle-ready body.

Percy's mind was absolutely racing with this new bit of information now within his grasp.

' _Well this is_ _certainly_ _not Hades, I know he loves me but I highly doubt he'd be_ _this_ _openly affectionate. Persephone would have been a little bit more direct and be saying things rather than simply shushing me. Demeter never spends much time down here so that can only mean that this is….'_

Percy held his breath in his lungs as he waited to see who or possibly even _what_ was guiding him back to his peaceful and stoic self...

Finally after several more seconds, Percy's vision returned and he was greeted by a familiar face.

A woman no older than twenty-five sat next to Percy on his bed. She had a slender figure and slightly sun-kissed skin that was slightly hidden under a long, flowing brown cloak. She allowed her long, auburn, luscious hair to cascade down her shoulders unchecked like a waterfall. Her face was young and full of warmth and kindness. Her chin and jaw were perfectly proportional to the rest of her face. Her cheeks were slightly coloured red as if her body had applied a natural blusher to them, adding to a sense of natural beauty that the woman carried. Her lips were small in a rather cute way, pursed up into a constant, warm and loving smile that a mother gave to her sons and daughters.

Then there were her eyes.

Her irises were a deep and luscious brown that emitted a sense of both warmth and love, caring and understanding. They belied the gorgeous young face that they resided upon by also showing a level of wisdom and understanding that can only be achieved through many years of walking the realms that both she and Percy existed in...immortal and mortal. The human world and the world of the God's and monsters. Two realms one could only conquer if they had lived and worked in their confines for a long, long time.

But also, the woman's eyes radiated an undeniable power as well...but not like many other like herself. No, unlike many people's eyes, Percy's included at times, which simply spoke of raw power and the devastation it could bring, this woman's eyes spoke of the fierce protectiveness and love for those she held dear and looked after...and spoke of the terrible and unimaginable fury that one would invoke if they crossed the woman or her loved ones.

Percy took only a second to recognise the woman.

"Hey aunty Hestia. Long-time no see, eh?" Percy whispered as he slowly felt the warm glow inside his body increase at the mention of the Goddesses name.

She smiled kindly before speaking in her typical sweet and velvety voice.

"Indeed Percy, a century is a long time not to visit your Aunty now, is it not?" The Goddess joked playful, her smile growing even wider as she finally saw a small smile creep across her nephews face.

"I apologise...but in-case the hearth has forgotten, the last century has been somewhat hectic." He replied as he slowly managed to sit himself up, wincing slightly as he remember the injury he had picked up recently in his ribcage in the form of several broken ribs...the bandages almost invisible against his ghost white skin.

Hestia's eyes slowly began to change from their soft brow to dancing flames, the flicker and movement of each fire as elegant as the most graceful of ballerinas as she realised that Perseus' ribs were bandaged.

"Who did this to you?" she asked in the most level tone she could clearly muster, unsurprisingly agitated by her nephews injuries.

"I got close to a monster trying to drive a car, let's leave it at that, shall we?" He grunted as he slowly managed to force himself upright with a little aid from his aunt.

"Would you like me to..." but before she could ask her question, Hestia and Percy were cut off by the one person Percy could have done without seeing him in this state.

"PERSEUS ODDYSEUS JACKSON, WHERE IN YOUR FARTHER'S REALM HAVE YOU BEEN!" Screeched an all too familiar voice to Percy's left.

"Oh please, God's cut me some fricking slack..." Percy whispered in his mind as he quickly turned to Hestia only to see the auburn haired Goddess shake her head before speaking with a small smile gracing her lips.

"I'm afraid this is one trial you will have to face alone, my champion." She intoned faux-serious tone before disappearing in a glorious eruption of golden and red flames that caused Percy to yelp out in surprise as he literally jumped out of his bed and face first into the floor whilst praying silently that his father's queen had fled.

But to no such avail.

Percy looked up to be met with an all too familiar sight.

The woman looking down upon Percy was truly _gorgeous_ in every sense of the gods damned word. She wore an obsidian black dress that fitted her slender and perfect figure exactly, neither too revealing or too modest. Long raven black hair cascaded down to the woman's perfect waistline, flowing like a river, naturally perfect the entire way down, just like the rest of her.

The woman's lips were a deep, natural red that no lipstick or cosmetic procedure could ever hope to attain. Her cheekbones were situated perfectly on her face, providing both a full look and perfectly smooth and shaped cheeks that were naturally tinted red against the woman's olive coloured skin. Her eyes were a deep brown like Hestia's, but unlike Hestia's, this set of eyes contained nothing but utter rage.

Percy finally managed to snap himself out of his utter shock when the soft tapping of the woman's high-heels finally reached his ears. Percy sighed as he managed to find the courage to let a small sheepish smile cross his lips as he addressed his father's queen, Persephone.

"Oh hey there…. "

"Mum."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **That's right ladies and gents.**

 **It's back.**

 **Looking back on this story, there was a lot I was unhappy with as I continued to write it, back under my first pen name; but I never did find the time or energy to do anything about it. The only thing I ever did feel was acceptable in regards to this story was the Prologue; it was short and snappy, but it didn't detract from the gravity of the events playing out (in my personal opinion). However, looking back on it again with much older and wiser eyes, there's a lot that I'm not happy with. I suppose that as a young and inexperienced writer when I was posting the original version, I was so consumed by the problems that I felt plagued the later chapters that I never accepted the problems that were present here.**

 **Re-reading the whole thing, I don't think I ever truly captured the emotional turmoil of Adriana. After all, a schism between a loving mother and first born son is not something I think anyone can ever truly put into words; and I raced through it far too quickly for my liking. But I suppose that is the ignorance of being young when you start in this hobby, I suppose. I was barely fifteen years old when I began writing this story. I was a novice of the art of writing and story-telling, and I think that it showed quite clearly in my work. I wasn't mature enough to truly capture such a complex and emotional scene with my mind, and I feel as if that was perhaps this chapter's greatest failing.**

 **And as such I dedicated several hours to thinking about how to write Adriana's hand-over of Perseus. This scene went through several iterations, and each one felt unsatisfying as I took the path of pure grief or pure anger…. And so I asked my mother what she would feel, if she was in Adriana's shoes.**

 **The response she gave me helped to shape that scene.**

 **I've attempted to capture all of the conflicting emotions of a new mother who is trying to make the best decision for her son: whether I have done so adequately or poorly remains to be seen, but I hope that you guys feel I did a good job with it. F**

 **Following that, I decided that the first chapter and the second chapter actually blended together quite nicely, so I decided to fashion them into one longer chapter (as is typical of my works now).**

 **As you probably noticed, little else has changed with regards to 'The Last Spartan', apart from Spelling and Grammar mostly. I wanted to keep the magic that so many people felt when they PM'd me to talk about the start of this tale; all I did was top it up with a little extra polish where I felt it was needed.**

 **Any ways, that's enough out of me for now. I have other stories to get back to; but I hope that those of you who followed me on my first true foray into this absolutely wonderful community will join me once again as I remould my favourite story into something I can one day be proud of again.**

 **So fave or follow (or maybe even both) so that you can keep up with my re-write, and drop a review by to tell me what you thought about my changes (or just how you feel about the re-boot).**

 **Peace,**

 **MetalGearMantis.**

 **P.S: PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ MY OTHER WORKS, WHICH CAN BE FOUND ON MY PROFILE. I AM ALWAYS LOOKING TO ADD TO MY FANBASE FOR EACH STORY, SO ANY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WOULD BE APPRECIATED!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:**_

 _ **Hey guys, been a little ol' while hasn't it?**_

 _ **You know, I knew that people loved this story, but I never truly understood the scope and scale of that love until I finally sat down and looked at the numbers.**_

 _ **322 Follows?**_

 _ **261 Faves?**_

 _ **38 Reviews?**_

 _ **That's kinda crazy, but it means a lot to me. I appreciate the support you guys have given me, especially seeing as I'm starting almost from scratch in many ways!**_

 _ **Now, this chapter has been mostly subjected to SPaG work and continuity consolidation. I have plans to re-write the fight, but unfortunately I have so many projects on the go at the moment that it will probably be a few days before it's edited. I know it's not terrible, but I know I can do better; and the story therefore deserves better. I've also changed some descriptions and a few other bits and pieces just to make this chapter flow better.**_

 _ **Any ways, like previously, I've changed the chapter style so that the original 3 & 4 are together, as they also blend quite nicely into one-another, but I'd still like to hear whether or not you guys like this extended chapter style I've gone with. **_

_**But enough chat for now.**_

 _ **Let's get movin!**_

 _ **(P.S: I don't know about you guys, but I'm still shaking from the E3 Sony Mic-drop saga. Final Fantasy 7 is a game that is EXTREMLY close to my heart, and as such all I advise is that you guys keep an ear close to the ground with regards to a special Fic I plan on writing in order to commemorate not only its return, but its impending anniversary!)**_

* * *

 ** _Chapter one: Yeah, routine mission my arse!_**

* * *

( _In Percy's private quarters)_

Percy waited with anticipation. If there was one thing that he had learnt over the centuries as the son of Hades was the fact that his father's wife, and consequently Percy's mother, Persephone, was a very protective woman who loved her adopted son like he was her own flesh and blood. And she had stood by Percy and helped him through some of the more horrific things that he had done over the course of his life. Hell, she had helped him even partially mover past _her_ : not once over that cursed century did she leave his side, like a real mother. And that was something that he appreciated more than he could ever show with words.

She had forgiven him for horrific acts he had committed and continued to help him move past the nightmares that haunted him.

However….

There was one thing that Percy's adoptive mother did not excuse or forgive so easily, especially after almost a century of no contact.

And that was sneaking into his father's palace at two o'clock in the morning and not letting them know that he had come back home.

"Percy. Would you please care to explain what you are doing in your bedroom despite saying you would be back later today?" Persephone asked in the most level tone that she could probably muster given her sons deception. Percy slowly picked himself up off of the floor with his sheepish grin slowly growing wider as he tried to avoid his mother's almost murderous gaze, taking a couple of seconds to try and come up with a decent excuse. But his mother clearly saw through his attempt to buy time when she spoke again as he rose up off of the floor.

"Percy, don't you DARE tell me that you got her late at night and didn't want to wake me or your father because you know that would not fuss us." She growled as her brown eyes began to flicker with rage, causing Percy to gulp audiably as he tried to scrounge up anything that sounded like a reasonable excuse. The trouble was that after three millennium of living as a teenager, he'd used every single last excuse under the son.

' _Nothing for it I suppose.'_ Percy mused to himself as he finally decided on how to respond to his mother despite the slight ache that coursed through his body from jumping out of his bed when Hestia decided to abandon him to his mother and whatever punishment she probably had lined up for him.

"I was kindda hoping to surprise you at breakfast this morning, but I suppose that is kind of useless now..." He paused briefly under his mother's almost murderous glare, swallowing slightly before finally speaking again, "...look, I know it doesn't really make up for lying but I'm sorry I didn't tell you I'd be back earlier than I had originally planned." He finally spluttered out, closing his eyes in anticipation of the severe scolding he was more than likely going to be on the receiving end of.

So Percy was surprised when he felt something warm and gentle wrap its arms around his torso and pull him gently into a hug. Percy first thought it may just be his mother's way of getting close before starting to scold him, so he was surprised when his mother only whispered "I'm just glad you've come back alive Percy." Percy's tense body instantly relaxed as he remembered his mother's bad habit of being unable to stay angry for more than five seconds. He quickly returned his mother's affectionate gesture with his own hug, the smell of fresh flowers from Lavender to Roses drifting from the Goddess of spring time's body.

Suddenly, Percy felt himself being pushed away, only to have a very fast travelling, open palmed hand hit him across his left cheek. Percy looked at his mother with a somewhat shocked and hurt look that demanded an explanation which his mother was only too happy to provide for him.

"Percy, do you have any IDEA of how worried I have been over the past few decades? I have heard NOTHING from you in years! You could've died! Zeus may have caught you! So don't you EVER do that to me again! I expect you to try to Iris Message me as often as possible or I swear that I will kick your butt around this realm, crown prince or not!" His mother hissed, sending the hairs on the back of his head into a stiff, plank like position at his mother's words, whilst barely managing to nod his head for his reply. He may have been the oldest living demi-god, who had destroyed some of the mythical world's greatest beasts. He was immune to fear when combating outrageously huge enemies or facing down entire armies, but despite all of this there was _one_ thing he was scared of.

His mother's anger.

Persephone scowled at him for several more seconds, both her rage and power flowing from her body in waves...but slowly the power and hatred began to fade as if the fuel that drove both of these things ran out as his mother's rage contorted face slowly eased itself back into its beautiful, constant smile and radiant gaze. Pinching the bridge of her nose, Persephone let out a small sigh as she took her son by the shoulder and guided him back to his bed, graceful sitting down whilst roughly jerking her son into his seat. "Percy...I just...I'm sorry I snapped. It's just..." But the queen of Hades was cut off with a small chuckle from the thirteen year old-looking boy sat opposite her.

"Mother, its fine. I haven't exactly been the best son of late. I never call, I never write. And I am so sorry I had you worrying about me again, but I have told you it is not necessary."

Persephone looked at her son with her soft caring gaze before laughing a little before retorting,

"I know you didn't mean to worry me, it's just that no matter how hard I try, you will always be my little boy no matter what. And like any true mother, I worry about you."

Percy smiled a little at his mother's over-protectiveness as they fell into a comfortable silence for a minute, giving Percy a chance to reflect on what his mother had said.

' _Still just her little boy...how true and wrong at the same time._ ' he whispered to himself in the back of his mind until his mother finally spoke up again.

"So care to explain why Hestia was here a few minutes ago?" Persephone asked a little bit more sternly with a scowl creeping back across her face, obviously somewhat troubled by the prospects of the Hearth Goddesses visit could mean.

Seeing his mother's expression, Percy could not help himself as he began chuckling out loud for a few moments before regaining enough composure to speak again.

"Don't worry mother, aunty Hestia was just helping me recover after a nightmare, that's all. She wasn't going to drag me off on some suicide mission again so don't worry." Percy replied as calmly as he could, hoping to every possible God that his mother would calm down and simply change topics. Luckily this time, the Gods seemed to be listening (or at least one did) as Persephone slowly took a deep breath before dragging her son into another hug, carefully avoiding his broken ribs. "Good, you're going to spend some time with us for a while now with NO interruptions..." Persephone pulled out of the hug before pointing to her sons ribs, "...and I expect to hear the full story behind those over breakfast so I know who to go turn into a daffodil for hurting my little bitty boy." Persephone spoke the last part like a mother to her new-born child whilst adding insult to injury by lightly pulling on her son's right cheek.

"Yeah sure thing. See you at breakfast…. mum." He replied in the most level tone he could muster despite his mother's almost seemingly indomitable will to embarrassed her son every five seconds. Persephone smiled radiantly at his more affectionate choice of addressing her before taking her leave of the room and closing the door behind herself. Percy sat on his bed with bated breath for several seconds before letting out a heavy sigh and leaning back onto his bed, carefully avoiding the sweat patches in the covers. He let out another sigh as he lay there for several minutes, looking at the nightmare black ceiling of his room.

After what felt like an age, but in actual fact had only been several minutes, Percy finally decided to drag himself to his en suite bathroom. As he painfully pushed himself into a sitting position, Percy could not help but take in the environment of his private quarters seeing as it had been almost a century since he last slept in the room and he had not bothered with reorienting himself with the place last night when he snuck back in, opting instead to discard his gear and finally sleep in a proper bed again.

The room had not changed all that much over the last century: dull black walls stretched to about three or four metres in height, providing the large room it's almost box like feel. The room itself was separated into two different tiers, with each one serving a different purpose. The lower tier served somewhat as a "social area" where Percy could relax and simply enjoy the life of a prince whenever he was not out changing the course of history, making it perhaps the least used room in the entire house. Several sofa's and arm chairs all made of black or dark brown leather were positioned in a small circle like formation around a dark brown mahogany table that had been in Percy's room for Gods knew how long. On said table rested a bowl that conjured up just about any snack that you could possibly ever want, which was a small prize Percy had taken from a foolish, weak demigod a long time ago. Also on said table rested several other bits and pieces the crown prince of the underworld had stolen over his travels, from ancient Egyptian statues of Anubis to a weird piece of modern art that Hestia had "procured" for her champion at the start of the last century.

Around the rest of the lower floor existed a large, jet black LCD TV with full "Sky" TV connection and regular American TV channels. That coupled with several of the Olympian news networks, it was safe to say Percy could never complain about having nothing to watch, even though he rarely used TV's himself as the events of the past few years had left him with very little free time at all. Also on the left hand side of the room sat an old twentieth century pool table made with a nightmare black obsidian frame and a verdant green playing surface. Spread out around the edge of the room where several other dark wooden or obsidian desks and tables upon which several of his greatest triumphs resided.

Next was what Percy had dubbed the "sleeping level" were his single bed resided. Unlike most of the room, the wooden frame of the bed was made of a much lighter coloured oak that contrasted with the rest of the room rather nicely. It was a single bed with simple black sheets and pillows that were as dark as the realm of Morpheus himself. Percy smiled. That bed was over eight hundred years old and still counting, and was a gift from a Milanese tradesman after he had rescued his daughter from bandits who had kidnapped her with the intention of selling her into slavery.

' _Ahhhh good times.'_

Then there was the bathroom.

Unlike the rest of the rooms in Hades palace, Percy's bathroom was actually rather bright in terms of colour. The floor was made of brilliant white tiles that could blind even Apollo when he wore his sunglasses should the sun ever catch them. The walls were a slightly murkier coloured white but non-the-less brighter than anything else in the palace. A simple glass fronted shower resided in the back right corner whilst a crystal white bath occupied the entire left wall.

Percy sighed as he finally managed to remember how to open the damned door. He still had fifty minutes so he may as well make use of the facilities available to him before he sat down to breakfast with his father and mother.

* * *

(40 minutes later)

Percy sighed slightly as he stood in front of his old mirror from his time as Saladin.

The original golden paint along the fringes had long since faded away, leaving a slightly crisper layer of golden paint to cover the ancient woodwork than Percy remembered. The woodwork itself was inscribed with hundreds of Latin verses from hymns and prayers. Etched delicately into the framework was also images of Jesus Christs supposed journey to his death and eventual resurrection...

The mirror of Gethsemane.

Why such a valuable Christian artefact was in Acre all those years ago when he turned it from the pinnacle of the Crusaders power to nothing more than a reminder of the fury and hatred that Saladin was capable of escaped him still to this day. He kept is as reminder of how far he had been willing to go to stop that power hungry shit head son of Zeus from causing too much trouble and upsetting the balance of the world.

' _I wonder how many souls down here would try to kill me if I walked back through the fields in my armour?'_ Percy mused for a few moments before simply muttering under his breath.

"Probably easier to ask who _wouldn't_ try and kill me."

In truth, Percy held no contempt or hatred towards the people he had been ordered to fight against. They were stout warriors with great skill and no fear of death. But Percy knew deep down that all of this was spawned from the delusions of one power-hungry demigod and a continent of blind sheep.

Percy shook his head, "No point getting hung up on the past...the dead are dead and the blood has been shed. No point getting all mopey about it now I suppose." Slowly Percy let his thoughts drift from the past and into the present as he began to examine his body after another beating in the big wide world.

The first thing he noticed was how much paler his skin had actually become over the past few years. Originally slightly sun-kissed like his mother and Aunty Hestia, years of operating in the shadows had led to Percy's skin to slowly lose its colour, turning from a gorgeous, healthy tan colour to an incredibly pale, almost ghastly white that absolutely terrified most people. It almost looked like someone had taken the skin of a dead man and grafted it to Percy's body. It looked unnatural to anyone who saw him even just several centuries earlier. It made him look old and tired, and in all honest truth he was old, hell, Percy would go as far as to say he was absolutely ancient.

The worst part was the way the skin naturally emphasised the scars upon his body.

Running from left to right across his well-toned stomach was a thin, almost silver scar like the trail of a shooting star from when Percy had battled the Minotaur after setting up a small lair in the Arden forest in France several centuries ago, and had failed to doge said monsters battle-axe. Another scar, which consisted of three parallel lines running down Percy's right Pectoral that dug painfully deeper as they dragged further down his chest until bone could be seen running clearly underneath the scar tissue, the bottom half of the injury obscured underneath the ghost white bandages he had been forced to use after breaking his ribs several days ago. They had been a gift from a rather tenacious and _large_ hellhound whilst he was helping the British drive back a detachment of German soldiers during the first world war.

Also, running down the inside of his right arm was a long, thick and ugly scar that looked like a filled in trench more than anything from the way the skin hideously bulged out from the rest of his skin from when he had been forced to cut open his own arm in order to reset the broken bone underneath that had already torn the skin like a knife through hot butter. It still ached from time to time, a dull, but only slightly painful ache that served as another reminder to always be vigilant and always be ready. His back was also a mess of several arrow and sword puncture marks as well as many slashes and burns...

All of which lead to his major injury from his time as Saladin. The top of Percy's left shoulder was completely burnt beyond all definition of the word horrific. The skin still seemed to blister and bubble even almost one thousand years after that _bitch's_ legacy had thrown him into that hell-hole. There were a few bits and pieces of ghost white skin streaking through the injury like small rivers through the mountains or stretches of lands in-between the dark, agitated red skin that was left after the burning piece of wood was finally removed from his shoulder.

Percy winced slightly at the memory...slowly loosing himself in a maelstrom of thoughts, self-pity and loathing...and also hatred.

' _But there is nothing I can do about it now._ ' He snarled

After snapping himself out of his own mind, Percy clicked his fingers casually, causing all of the shadows in the room to bend towards their master, bending their very existence to his will. Slowly, the wrapped around him like a cloth of shadows, covering his pasty skin with a layer of shadow as black as a person's worst nightmare, creeping like a thief through the night until all but his head was covered.

Slowly, the shadows began to melt away, slowly forming various items of clothing. The first was a pair of dark blue denim jeans, a colour that Percy had only just managed to figure out how to create. Unlike many people, his jeans were neither to large or small, giving him both room for manoeuvrability whilst not making him look larger than he actually was. Next formed a pair of black socks and Converse all-stars (a brand Percy had come to love over the past few years), the logo and traditional white toe cap perfect to a T, making them look like something fresh out of a store and not the darkness surrounding him.

After that, Percy's regular upper body attire began to take shape. The first thing formed was a short sleeve, black shirt that clung to his frame nicely but was again neither too tight so that mobility and agility were impaired, and neither was it too large so it just looked ridiculous on him. Over the top of this slowly formed a black blazer that Percy could often be found wearing during his "down" time of late, giving him a somewhat refined and sophisticated look compared to most boys his own "age". Percy smiled slightly as he quickly gave himself a brush over to make sure that everything was both in its right place and also not overly scrunched up or creased.

Satisfied with the results, Percy jumped down from the second tier of his bedroom before proceeding into the hallways of his father's palace.

* * *

 _(15 minutes later, The Gardens of Persephone)_

The gardens of Persephone were arguably the most beautiful location in the planet in Percy's opinion. They stretched for only a couple of hundred metres either way but no matter if you sat on the borders or in the very heart of the garden, the beauty of even the smallest of things was undeniable...and made even more beautiful by those with an appreciation of the natural world.

Unlike most places of similar beauty on the planet, the gardens of Percy's mother were mostly not organic, but instead made of countless jewels and metals, from celestial bronze to platinum, rubies to amethysts, the majority of the garden was made up of countless gems and metals that one could not even begin to calculate the worth of.

Bushes were comprised of celestial bronze leaves that glistened in the torchlight like they were forever coated in a morning dew whilst branches of silver thread through the leaves like a spider's thread but glow in the light like streaks of light. Blueberries were replaced with tiny sapphires, each worth a fortune in its own right, each one a dark blue, a swirling maelstrom of colour like the oceans themselves. Cherries were replaced with countless rubies that were as crimson as the blood flowing through Percy's veins whilst other metals such as platinum and gold created trees of untold beauty as they glinted in the torchlight, providing them with an ethereal, almost god like aura that simply stunned anyone who had truly seen it into silence.

The ponds of gems and diamonds compared to the few organic plants Persephone had planted in her garden, several of which Percy had spotted as he walked through the area. One which was known as "Moonlace", Percy's favourite plant. A simple yet elegant plant with long, silver petals and a verdant green stalk that simply shimmered ethereally under the light of the torches nearby. Originally from the garden island of Ogygia, Moonlace typically did not glow unless underneath pure moonlight, but with the help of Percy, Persephone had managed to change the effects so it simply emitted its glow at all times...a soft, silver glow that simply radiated clam and encourage the collection of thoughts.

That was why Percy loved it so much. It helped the young man clam himself and slowly collect his scattered thoughts whilst helping him push the torturous past into the darkest corners of his mind for a while. Unlike Percy the plant was simple, it's needs were simple and it did nothing foolish. It simply lived out its life peacefully whilst spreading a little beauty into the world.

"My polar opposite. I'm complex and difficult, I'm never clear with my needs and I have had anything but a peaceful and light bringing life in my time..." Percy whispered sadly as he continued his trek across the Gardens . The plant also served to bring back some slightly happier memories of a very good friend that Percy was perfectly happy to remain lost in until he finally reached the double doors of nightmare black Obsidian that lead to the grand hall.

The huge doors swung open silently, which to this day still surprised Percy given the lack of maintenance he swore the place received, and yet the doors managed to open silently and the great hall continued to look as awe-inspiring and fabulous as ever.

The hall itself was some seventy metres long. Huge arching walls of nightmare black obsidian sprung forth from the very bedrock foundation like trees as they slowly began to curve over like the arches of many great cities, giving the ceiling a somewhat circular look to it. Upon said ceiling were hundreds of scenes from human history displaying many great battles, a vast majority of which Percy had either fought in or commanded one of the armies, were emblazoned onto the ceiling in silver and gold which seemed to flicker and shimmer in the torchlight of the great hall, making the scenes almost appear alive if one stood and stared long enough at the images. A long, black mahogany table flowed to the opposite end of the room whilst red and black chairs numbering in their tens if not hundred down either side.

At the head of the table sat a man and Percy's mother, Persephone. Even though he was a great distance away Percy could tell that the man was smiling as he stood up whilst his queen took his arm.

"Percy!" He called in a cold sounding voice. Percy smiled as he got his first look of his farther in what had been a very long time. '

The lord of the underworld, Hades, stood a little shorter than his adopted son at about 6'0, wearing a nightmare black suit with a blood-red shirt underneath whilst forgetting any sort of tie so he could leave his top button undone. His skin was as white as fallen snow like Percy's a long time ago. His frame was exactly like his sons, somewhat thin but extremely powerful.

His chin and jaw seemed to be chiselled to perfection, looking more like something you would find on a statue as opposed to a living, breathing person. His cheeks were slightly gaunt and looked drawn and deflated somewhat, and despite looking slightly old it also suited the man incredibly well, almost as if it were an attempt to emphasise who he ruled over. His forehead was perfectly positioned and proportional to the rest of his body. His lips were thin and seemed slightly pursed, whilst also tapering into a somewhat evil smile, whilst his eyes...well his irises technically may well have not existed as they were as terrifyingly black as even the darkest of shadows or the deepest, darkest depths of one's own mind... nothing else compared to the black hollow look one could see when they stared into those eyes.

And yet they somehow managed to almost brighten with joy as the man raced forwards and almost crushed Percy in a hug. "Welcome back my son." He whispered in his ear as he pulled him tighter into the huge bear hug.

Percy could only crack a smile before replying,

"Good to see you to."

"Father."

* * *

 _(Half an hour later)_

Percy sat with his mother and father at the far end of the table, letting out a small satisfied sigh at the fact he had finally eaten his first proper breakfast in a long time, something his grandmother would scold him about at some point Percy knew for certain.

His father sat there with a small smile on his face, enjoying the company of the son he constantly thrust into danger just to save the world and prepare him for his fate. Hades and his wife had sat through the past half an hour listening to their sons tails and trials as he told them all about what had transpired whilst he was "out and about." But even though both of his parents radiated happiness, Percy could tell that deep down something was worrying his mother whilst his father looked anxious to ask his son something.

After several seconds of an uncomfortable silence, Percy finally spoke up.

"Father, if there is something you wish to ask, go ahead." He stated it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Hades's face changed to one of surprise whilst his mother's turned slightly angry.

"My boy, I wish I could let you rest here for a couple of days but I must ask a small favour of you first." But before he could even state what it was he wished from his son, Persephone literally exploded with rage.

"No Hades. He has just gotten back from almost a CENTURY of cleaning up the God's mistakes and that of their idiotic children. He needs to rest and recover for a while! You can send the three Furies after them but not Percy, I will NOT allow you to put him at risk again after he has just come home!" Persephone screamed the last part, a few tears slowly streaking down her face like raindrops on a car-door window whilst her cheeks burned red in anger.

Percy moved around the table and embraced his mother in a tight hug. "Mum, I will not go if it is something long and stupid, but if it is a short little trip I'll do it and be back before dinner. I promise." Percy whispered in his distraught mothers ear as she took several moments to calm herself before finally nodding her head in agreement.

Percy kissed his mother on the head and whispered a thank-you before turning back to his somewhat surprised father.

"Farther, if what you ask is short and sweet then I will go. If not I would like to ask someone else to take the job for me. I have not seen you or mum in a long time and I feel like I have some catching up to do: that and I'd actually like to have a chance to rest and relax for a while. "

Hades smiled and nodded before replying, "Do not worry my boy, all you need to do is go pick up your new little brother and sister."

At this news, Percy's face lit up as a massive smile that threatened to tear his lips from his face spread out across it.

"Wait do you mean..." But before he could finish his question, Hades cut off the stuttering Percy with a wide smile and a small nod, "

Yes Percy, Bianca and Nico are now out of the lotus hotel and I was hoping you would go pick them up..." The lord of the dead asked with a small grin creeping across his face. Percy took several seconds to clear his head before speaking.

"Where and when am I going?"

"A military academy in Maine and you leave immediately. Alecto has all of the information you will need. But be warned. A "quest" from those infernal fools at that silly little camp are going to try to swipe them tonight..." Hades face warped into one of hate alongside his son at the mention of the silly little camp before continuing,"... so be prepared to fight, but avoid killing anyone please. I don't want to have to explain to anyone why their child will be going home to that stupid camp in pieces..."

Percy let an evil grin creep across his face before speaking in an ice-cold voice to his father,

"I'll go get my stuff then...but be warned...", Percy snarled, " I make no promises, if those fools get in my way or threaten my sister and brother's lives..."

 _ **"I will kill them."**_

* * *

( _En Route to the Academy)_

Percy sat in the back of a long, sheik and expensive Lexus. The interior was basic combination of a dark chocolate like brown and a nightmare black. Extra features were fairly limited save for an in-car phone and a built-in sat-nav as the car itself rarely saw any usage because most of Percy's family used shadow travel or other such means of getting around.

But according to the Fury Alecto, "Your father has ordered us to go by car to mask your power otherwise those fools from camp half-blood may try to take you back with them or even capture you." She had informed him as they set out in her typically raspy sounding voice.

Percy sighed heavily as he began to flick through the last few details of the school he was going to go and "break out" his little brother and sister from.

Bianca and Nico D'Angelo were Percy's only two living siblings, even if they should've now been in old age given the fact that they were born in the earlier part of the 1900's. Percy had made the extra time to ensure that he could come back to the States to help move them into the Lotus Hotel and casino with the help of his father and Alecto.

Several years ago whilst Percy was back out on the open road, his father had moved the two of them to several boarding schools over the years before finally sending them to their current school, Westover military academy.

Since the information his father had passed him was brief, Percy had looked up the school on the internet using his phone on the journey there. Founded at the end of the nineteenth century, the Academy was designed to create the next generation of military officers for the American armed forces. But now in keeping with the modern principles of a "military academy", the school was now more focused on "rehabilitating" more troublesome members of today's youth.

The plan that Percy had come up with was so simple it was almost insulting.

The academy was holding its annual end of semester party in the main school gym. That meant there would be a lot of mortals in the room so Percy had plenty of cover to operate under or places to lose those foolish demigods that would dare try to take his little brother and sister from him. Also, he would be able to use simple mist modification to fool the mortals into thinking they knew him so that he could blend in with them even more. So all he would have to do is find his little brother and sister then carefully pick his way out through the crowds and get into the waiting car, which for all intents and purposes was a simple plan.

Percy let out a small sigh as he placed the black folder onto the seat next to him before staring out of the slightly frosted window, the ice clouding some of the outside scenery, but serving to only add to its mystery and beauty.

Like most of northern America during the winter, Maine suffered from heavy snow fall that would blanket the world in an endless white shroud, the snow sometimes so white and perfect that it was almost as white and smooth as the "skin" of a ghost, whilst gently reflecting the sun, causing the small ice crystals to glisten and glint like strobe lighting in the setting sun. Trees looked as if all of the life had been sucked from their very cores as they frosted over and offered no resistance, the ice simply creeping up the trunk as if the tree had lost the very will to live, soon turning them into gigantic frozen popsicles that littered the frozen wastes or creating dead and frozen forests that were once places alive with the sounds of gentle bird songs and the rustle of foxes through fallen leaves. Now they were nothing more than frozen husks...adding an eerie beauty to the frozen landscape of Maine.

Percy smiled lightly to himself. It was the first time in many, many years that he had actually been happy to see the snow. For many years Percy had feared the arrival of winter in all its beauty and cruelty as it disrupted operation after operation after operation, sometimes almost costing him an entire decades worth of work in mere hours or days. It was the one thing that he had learnt to fear over the years. Winter could either help you turn the tide of an entire campaign or long, drawn out battle...

Or cause you to crash to defeat.

Percy continued to brood as he ran possible scenarios through his mind as to how things may go down at the academy. All of a sudden, after what seemed like an age, the in-car phone began ringing, an old-school ring that you'd expect to find on a 50's phone. Percy sighed as he went to answer the phone, but he was cut off by Alecto who snatched the small, black receiver out of its cradle before placing the device firmly between her shoulder-blade and left ear. The fury spent less than a minute on the phone talking to whoever it was on the other end in hushed tones and whispers than even Percy could not pick up.

Eventually, Alecto put the phone down and sighed.

' _Whatever she's just been talking about is really bad news...after all she is NOT one for subtlety.'_ Percy continued to race through possible scenarios until the fury spoke up.

"Percy, that was your father on the phone." Immediately Percy tensed. His father NEVER had any real direct hand in any of Percy's missions, even just passing him information was left to the Furies or other various ghosts and human like monsters from the underworld. So whatever the news was, it had to be bad.

After several awkwardly silent seconds, Percy finally spoke up, "What's happened? Are Bianca and Nico okay?" His voice was becoming more and more filled with worry with each and every passing syllable. Alecto shook her head before speaking.

"No your brother and sister are absolutely fine...it's just things may have just gotten a whole lot more complicated." Percy relaxed slightly knowing that his brother and sister were safe, but he knew that something major was still wrong. After a deep breath, Percy finally spoke up again.

"So what's happened Alecto? Has Zeus sent extra fools to help the camp weaklings that he has sent against my father's children?" Percy growled out the second part. Again the Fury shook her head, a small grimace creeping across her face before she found the courage to speak.

"He's sent the Hunters."

* * *

 _(One hour later, Westover military Academy, North Wing Corridor, Main Staircase.)_

"Of fucking course, something ALWAYS has to go wrong when I go on missions." Percy snarled as he bounded up the wooden old stair cases of the Academy's north wing. Percy continued cussing constantly under his breath, using a mixture of Greek and English as his footsteps echoed loudly as he continued sprinting up the stairs as he replayed the whole scenario through his mind over and over.

Things had been going perfectly well to begin with. Two of the Academy's teachers, some French woman and one Doctor Thorn had questioned him as to who he was and what he was doing in the school. Percy had used a quick bit of mist manipulation to simply pass by their little interrogation as he jogged to the main sports hall.

The hall itself was some hundred metres long and about as wide, if not slightly more. Scattered around the room were young boys wearing their Academy dress uniforms, a black pair of trousers and shoes with a black jacket emblazoned on the shoulders with the slightly puffed up white shoulder pads. The buttons down the front of the jacket were an ivory like white that looked incredibly smart but not overly flashy whilst the Academy's coat of arms was stitched onto the jackets breast pocket. Whereas the girls were wearing an assortment of luxurious gowns and dresses that varied in colours, turning the hall into a plethora of colours that swayed and moved like an ocean of mixed paints and colours. It was rather impressive.

Percy immediately set about the task of locating the three demigods that Zeus had ordered to "save" from the possibility of a monster attack. "The only monster they would have to worry about is you Zeus..." Percy had snarled as he continued to move amongst the dancers and socialites of the party, blending in to the crowds effortlessly after using the mist to alter his appearance, turning his skin to a light tan colour without the scars to all but the most perceptive of people.

The three "heroes" were easily identifiable from everyone else. After all, they stood out like a sore thumb compared to everyone else...well to a trained individual like Perseus at least.

The first one he spotted was a girl who he easily identified as a daughter of Athena. She had blond, curly hair that flowed effortlessly down to her shoulders and stormy grey eyes that seemed to analyse everything in seconds. Her skin was tanned perfectly, instantly painting her as a Californian girl, and given that Percy's fathers realm's entrance was in LA, he could spot a Californian girl a mile away.

The next one was an arrogant looking boy of around the same age as Percy (physically at least.) He was tall-ish at around 5'11 but he was rather thin and weak looking. He tried to compensate for this by trying to look "cool" with overly gelled up hair and a cocky smirk that Percy would've loved to just wipe from his face...but he was under orders not to hurt the fools so he left him alone... until he noticed the colour of his eyes...

Sea-green.

' _A son of Poseidon._ ' Percy hissed to himself in the back of his mind.

It had been a long time since he had seen another child of his birth father...and as always, this one proved to be a pathetic imitation of his greater sons such as Percy himself or Theseus. Shaking his head he quickly assed that the boy was clearly physically weak and pathetically weak in terms of demigod power. At least he would be no trouble.

The last girl, however, caught Percy's eye.

She was clearly either leading the quest or the most experienced, judging by the way that she actually had some success blending in. She would use crowds as cover and mist manipulation to try to appear like she was part of a larger group, but her power only stretched so far so it was only believable at first glance. However her simple party trick was hardly going to affect Percy. Her hair was cut short and set into an array of spikes that almost made her look like she had a hedgehog on her head. Her frame was slight and she was fairly short at about 5'8, but there was no denying that she had a powerful aura that indicated one of two possibilities to Percy...but his theory was confirmed when he saw her eyes.

Electrical blue.

' _A daughter of Zeus as well? I guess Hestia was right when she said that most male gods can't keep it in their trousers...'_ Percy snickered to himself briefly before seizing up the girl. It was true that she did seem very powerful, but the fact that she was still young meant her power was simply not even on the same planet as Percy...so at least he wouldn't really have to hurt them if he needed to fight them over his siblings.

But the moment he stop his observations was the moment things started to go horribly wrong.

Percy had been searching fruitlessly for several minutes when his attention was procured by the weak legacy of Poseidon who informed his partners in crime that "The weird Doc guy is making off with Hades' spawn!".

At just those words Percy almost lost control as he resisted the urge to walk up to the weakling and simply smash his face into several pieces of furniture for daring to insult his siblings.

But the news that they had been taken by someone overrode that insult as Percy quickly crashed out of the main hall and into the cold stone hallways of the Academy's north wing in an effort to cut the bastards off. But unfortunately for Percy it appeared the Gods had decided to shit in his luck bucket again as he only just caught sight of the three measly demigods bounding around a corner, hot in pursuit of the bastard who had his brother and sister.

Percy set of at a decent paced run, hoping to keep an eye on the group but also to help maintain enough distance so that he could keep to the shadows and remain hidden.

He followed the fools like this for several minutes until they finally crashed out of a door, weapons in hand.

"Those idiots! If they DARE attack that beast whilst my sister and brother are at risk they had better hope their mummy's and daddy's are close by or I'll rip them to pieces." Percy growled to himself as he bolted towards the little door that the group had crashed out of. Instinctively he raised his shoulder as he collided with the door. But what he had not expected to occur was for the wooden door to be torn from its hinges in an explosion of wooden shrapnel and screeching metal the moment he collided with it until he was outside.

He had crashed out into a small field blanketed in a thick layer of snow. About one hundred metres to his left lay a dead looking forest, the trees like popsicles and their branches like icicles. In the middle of said field resided the three fools from the "quest", each with their respective weaponry drawn. The daughter of Athena a small yet efficient looking combat dagger, the child of Poseidon wielding a sword and the daughter of Zeus wielding a nasty looking spear that crackled with lightning as it danced and jumped up and down the shaft whilst a copy of Athena's shield, Aegis, sat comfortable in her left hand.

Percy smirked, sure they looked like they at least knew how to use their weapons but so did the group of fifteen or twenty monsters surrounding them.

Percy actually laughed a little as he slowly began to summon the shadows to his side, quickly peeling them from wherever they were hiding until they formed their customary blanket around his form until they settled and slowly began to form Percy's personal combat armour. Slowly, the lower portion of the armour began to take shape.

First came the boots. In keeping with his Saladin armour, the boots were made of light-weight, nightmare black Stygian iron alloy. The leg guards that followed suit were adorned with images of pain and battle that would sicken even the stoutest of warriors if they paid heed to them for too long, each one emblazoned in silver and flowed the chest piece. Like the rest of the armour, the chest piece was emblazoned with hellish images of battle in silver and gold, making them more than pronounced enough for all to see, the armour taking on a more greek feel as the piece clung to Percy's figure well, making him look larger than he already was as well as a hell of a lot more intimidating.

Then came the helm.

Unlike many people in Percy's position, he refused to use a standard Greek helmet, claiming that, like their Roman counterparts , they were not intimidating enough... and that was the main function of Percy's helmet. To intimidate the poor fools who thought themselves capable of standing up to the crown prince of the underworld. Shaped like a screaming skull, Percy's helm held nothing but hatred and fury in its look, instilling fear into his enemy's hearts, and like the rest of the armour it was a pitch black Stygian Iron alloy that Percy had spent months planning and trying to perfect... but the effect was more than impressive.

The first monster to notice him, an Emposeua almost frightened Percy at the terrified scream it let out when it saw his armour. The quest members looked around in shock like the rest of the monsters at the creature before almost jumping out of their skin at the sight of Percy in his armour.

Percy let out a small laugh as the figure holding his two siblings tried to order the lesser monsters to attack.

"You cannot stop me, Dr. Thorne. I will be leaving here with the boy and girl and there is nothing you can do to stop me!" He shouted over to the cowering monster in Ancient Greek as he slowly headed towards the monsters. Finally one of the three giants there developed enough courage to let out a week war cry as it raced forwards to try to attack Percy, who summoned his first weapon to his side.

There was a slight shaking like the beginning of an earthquake until a gap opened up in the very earth itself. The monster froze and watched on in horror as a ghostly hand thrust a nightmare black spear up into Percy's waiting hand, the shadows that danced around the blade echoing the screams of agony of those Percy had slew with the weapon.

Without waiting for the Giant to resume his charge, Percy simply hurled the weapon at the dumbstruck giant, sending the tip of the spear straight through the creatures chest cavity.

It didn't even get to cry out in agony before disintegrating into a golden, snow like dust that tainted the perfectly white landscape. But the weapon then continued its path as if it hadn't even struck a thing as it slammed into the second and third giants, repeating the same effect until it finally came to a rest, some forty metres from where Percy had just thrown it. Everyone and everything looked at the beast before them. The majority of the Emposeua surrounding the three demigods suddenly broke formation and headed straight for Percy, desperate to try and bring him down before he could do any more damage.

Percy smiled as he held out his hand again until a Greek style, Stygian iron and steel blade shot out from the ground, the steel snaking through the sea of black in an intricate pattern that also gave the added benefits of having mortal steel in the blade.

When the first Emposeua tried to strike Percy by simply thrusting its blade forwards, Percy ducked under the blade at the last second with a unbelievable amount of speed and grace. As he came up inside the creatures guard, Percy delivered a vicious uppercut that cracked the foul animals jaw like a twig over a knee. He then capitalised on the beasts agony by wrapping its neck into the crook of his left arm as he quickly danced the blade to his right hand.

Another Emposeua behind the first tried to race forwards to help its sister, eager to taste victory by slaying the mysterious warrior. But it was instead met with death's cold embrace as Percy pirouetted on his left leg, bringing his blade down in a vicious arc with impossible speed and accuracy as he sliced the monsters head open, simply disintegrating it into dust whilst viciously jerking his left arm, causing a sickening crack to emanate from the first Emposeua as its neck snapped like a stick in Percy's vice-like grip.

A third and fourth enemy raced towards Percy, who ducked under their swiping strikes, only to deliver one of his own with surgical precision, cutting the two creatures in half as they quickly turned into two piles of sickly golden dust. His speed was like that of a viper, and as such the end result of that combat seemed to surprise no-one.

Percy's fifth enemy paled greatly when Percy looked at it, almost to the point Percy felt he could probably just say "boo!" and it would faint. But in keeping with his speed and grace, Percy grabbed the monsters sword arm wrist before crushing it in a vice like grip. The monster howled in agony before Percy twisted it's sword on itself and drove it home to ruthless effect, causing the glowing Celestial bronze blade to explode from the monster's back in a shower of golden dust before being withdrawn and dropped to the floor by a madly cackling son of Hades.

' _Gods this is too fucking easy! I was expecting_ _ **some**_ _kind of challenge. This is just absolutely pathetic really: you'd think that after millennia alive, these things would be able to fight a little bit better than this.'_

As Percy looked to his last few opponents, he caught a small glimpse out of the corner of his left eye of a small streak of silver. Percy bit back a curse, instead saving it for his mind.

' _Fucking hell! Why now? I better get over there and deal with this Doc guy, I'm sure the hunters can take care of the rest.'_ Percy smiled slightly as his entire body melted away into shadows as back as night before quickly manifesting behind a terrified Doctor Thorne...

"Wazz' up Doc?"

* * *

 _(Zoe Nightshade's P.O.V)_

As much as Zoe Nightshade, Lieutenant of Artemis, hated to admit it, the male who had just appeared to help the group from that silly little camp was incredibly skilful and seemingly rather damned powerful.

Zoe and her sisters had looked on in utter awe at the speed and grace of the man. One second he was darting underneath the wild slash of a single Emposeua, the next second he was slicing two in half after already splitting one's skull open and snapping another's neck. It was, for all intents and purposes both terrifying and amazing at the same time. He fought with a speed and grace that no mortal should have been capable of: even though

Terrifying because Zoe knew deep down that this individual could tear the vast majority of her sisters to shreds without even breaking a sweat. After all he was practically bored out of his own mind in-between his kills. He was simply playing around with the poor monsters and they knew it. Zoe knew it too... and she absolutely dreaded to think how skilled and merciless he truly was when he took a fight seriously.

But Zoe was also amazing based around how effortless and graceful the male made each and every one of his moves look. His speed was on par and surpassed many hunters whilst his agility was easily greater than the most elegant of dancers or the most brilliant gymnasts. His strength was like that of ten men, hurling a spear through several giants with ease and crushing an Emposeua bones like they were meer twigs.

"Not bad for a male, huh?" Zoe heard her oldest friend, Phoebe ask as she looked out over the mysterious warriors warpath with a mix of appreciation and surprise. The lieutenant of the hunt could not help herself as she let a small chuckle escape before replying to her oldest friend,

"I think you may be love-struck by the boy." Phoebe looked at Zoe with a murderous glare to which Zoe could only laugh at even more as her friend slowly pulled her bow from her back...

"He may be good but we should really show him how it's done." Phoebe said with an evil grin slowly playing across her face.

Zoe smirked slightly as she drew her own bow from her back...

"I could not agree with you more Phoebe."

* * *

 _(Percy's P.O.V)_

Several terrified yells were all that signalled the end of the Emposeua Percy had left for the hunt as he summoned his spear back to his side.

Dr Thorn growled as his body slowly began to change into its monster form. Slowly, a furry main appeared around the man's neck as his arms slowly began to bend more at the elbows. His legs also bent like dogs as fur began to cover his entire body whilst a slimy, scorpion tail slowly weaselled its way out of his rear. After several more seconds the transformation was complete. Thorn no longer existed...but instead, one of Percy's first quests stood before him.

"Ahhhh Manticore, how long has it been? You look good. Less... dead." Percy taunted to the monster whose eyes caught ablaze as he finally realised who his assailant was.

"Impossible! Mortals lives are short and pathetic! You cannot possibly be alive...unless..." But Percy cut him off with a curt wave of his hand before speaking again.

"Listen Manticore. You'd better let my siblings go or I swear I will shove your tail down your throat and make you eat poison spikes for an eternity." Percy growled as he shifted his grip on his spear, ready to react to any situation.

The monster let out a deep growl from its throat before simply dropping a terrified Bianca and a petrified Nico and dropping its head before charging at Percy. The old warrior smiled as he simply let his body melt into shadows, reappearing right behind the foul monster, driving his spear into the Manticores leg, causing it to howl out in utter agony as the spears time smashed straight through bone and cut through flesh like a knife through hot butter before slamming into the ground, holding the creature in place.

"I'm glad to see all of this time hasn't changed your style one little bit my friend." Percy snarled as his sword reappeared in his grasp.

Just as Percy readied himself to drive the blade downwards, the monster shot several poisonous spikes from its tail, forcing Percy to dive to the right and out of the projectiles path.

"Oh you are so going to pay for that, little lion man!" Percy snarled as he picked himself up and made his way over to the creature.

But just as he was about to, a rather short girl at around 5'6 raced over to Thorn's head, her upper body clad in a silver Parker whilst her face remained hidden under a hood. Her bow was raised and a gleaming silver arrow notched, ready to fire.

"Permission to kill milady?' The girl asked in a slightly accented voice that caused Perseus' eyes to widen in absolute shock.

' _I know that voice!'_

But before anyone could say another word, the poor girl was cut off as Thorn let out a blood curdling roar, swiping the slightly framed girl in one of his massive hands before sprinting towards the cliff edge before simply tumbling off.

Before he even knew what his body was doing, Percy was racing towards the cliff edge, his mind racing as he drew to within only several metres of the drop, the voice of the girl all too familiar for him to leave her to die on the chance that it wasn't one of his oldest friends.

' _Let's just hope I'm right, not too late and that her ladyship doesn't kill me for doing this.'_ He whispered in the back of his mind as he reached the edge of the cliff...

And threw himself off.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_

 _ **And this seems like as good a place as any to stop.**_

 _ **Like I said above, not too much has changed really this chapter, as I think most of the things that needed work were minor. The updated fight-scene won't be anything spectacular, but just different so that the section flows better; something that I could never really fix in the original. As such, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter: good, bad and ugly. After all, it's the only way I can keep on improving !**_

 _ **But for now, I'd like to quickly shift my focus from this story and to my other works. 'The Jackal of the Grigori' and 'Code: DxD Potter' are two of my favourite stories to write, and as such will receive the Lion's share of the time in terms of writing and what not. I like to think that they are both very accessible stories that anyone can enjoy, especially if you like my work in general, which is another reason I'm focusing on them so much.**_

 _ **But as with any work I produce, I'm always looking to expand my audience, and as such I would love it if you guys could go support my other stories. I want to become one of the biggest and best writers on this site, and for that to happen I need you guys to help me out: be it offering words of encouragement or in-depth criticism, or simply offering up a fave or follow!**_

 _ **You guys are the reason I write: I love to entertain and provide people with an enjoyable experience. And the more feedback and support I can get for each story, the better they'll get thanks to the positive energy and useful critique I'll be given. I know it sounds silly, but I do appreciate even the smallest shows of support, so please do take the time to take a look at my other works, it'd mean a lot to me!**_

 _ **Any ways, I need to go, as I have my secret FF7 project to work on and another chapter of Code: DxD Potter to finish up!**_

 _ **Peace folks,**_

 _ **Mantis.**_


	3. Chapter 3: GENERAL NOTICE, 'I'M BACK'

GENERAL NOTICE: I'M BACK!

Why hello there people, long time no-see, eh? I know you all probably thought that I went and forgot or gave up on writing for you guys, but I'm proud to say that have not and that my lack of activity has been for two reasons – adapting to Uni life and illness.

I originally planned to update all my works over Christmas, but I was laid low by a rather horrific bout of illness that left me bed ridden for several days and barely willing to get out of bed when I was able to, let alone write anything.

But now I've settled in at Uni and shaken the bugs that were plaguing me, I'm finally ready again to get back to doing what I love – writing for and entertaining you guys.

I plan to have Code: DxD Potter updated by Wednesday, Thursday at the latest and The Jackal of the Grigori by Friday and Legacy by Saturday. I've written the majority of the chapters for the first two stories, and so I shall look to finish them off this week so that next week we can finally begin to make some headway with my works – because a fair few of you have been letting me know that you want me to get back to updating.

And I enjoy my life too much to get cyber-lynched by an angry mob of FanFic readers !

Well rejoice my readers, for the Mantis has returned.

And he's here to stay!

So Until my next official chapter, I bid you goodbye.

Peace folks,

Mantis.

P.S: Make sure to go check out the one story I have managed to update – Despair of the Uchiha. It's a different take on the DxD / Naruto crossover that I hope you'll all enjoy XD !


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N:**_

 _ **YES I AM ALIVE PEOPLE XD!**_

 _ **Hello everyone and welcome back to chapter 3 of The Legacy of Sparta! Now before we get into the story, I am just quickly going to deal with all the people who keep complaining about me ripping of CrazyBearFaria.**_

 _ **Go read CBF's final A/N.**_

 _ **Now think about things.**_

 _ **Now think about why our mannerism are exactly the same.**_

 _ **Now please realize the obvious.**_

 _ **Now stop complaining.**_

 _ **Honestly if people can't figure out what the fuck I'm implying from all of this, I'm not sure I can have too much faith in humanity any more.**_

 _ **But I digress.**_

 _ **This chapter is mostly the same as in the original – save for some minute dialogue changes and SPAG stuff. So nothing too major. Now that's over with…**_

 _ **Let's get going!**_

 _ **(P.S: Please go to my profile and check out my other stories, such as 'The Life I live', which I have also just updated XD !)**_

* * *

Percy had done plenty of stupid things in his life for certain... but jumping off of a cliff to save a girl he barely knew anymore who also happened to be part of a man-hating troupe led by a man hating goddess...

Well that was stupid.

Even by his standards.

In all honesty he wasn't even sure himself as to why the hell he was diving off of a cliff to save her. It had all happened so fast that Percy barely figured out what the hell he was doing the moment he launched himself over the cliff to save the girl.

At first he kept his body spread out wide slightly as he attempted to give himself some clearance from the rocky face of the cliff that was as white as fallen snow and about as even as an unattended to country lane. The air felt drier the farther from the cliff he travelled, almost as if the damned salt from the sea was drying every last drop of moisture from the air and sucking it back into the oceans themselves.

After several seconds, Percy quickly angled his body forwards like a bird of prey setting out after it's target, straightening out his back like a wooden board whilst holding out his hands in front of himself like some sort of break so he could slide through the cold, dry air even faster than any normal human thought possible.

For a few moments, it felt like Percy was simply going to hang in the air like some sort of ghost, his body neither going up or down, affected by neither gravity or mystical forces attempting to pull him back to the safety of land. He simply floated there for several seconds, peering down after his prey like a vulture... before gravity took its hold and he plunged after the girl.

Wind whip around his armour like a hurricane as he rapidly picked up speed and accelerated after the Manticore and the girl. At first it was like a low whistle from a million miles away, more an annoyance than a hindrance. But after only a few moments it was like being in the eye of a massive hurricane, with the winds whipping around him like he was a plane and the horrific howl of the wind louder than the most fearsome pack of wolves.

It took him only a few seconds to catch back up to the huntress and the Manticore who were tumbling completely out of control like they were fighting over control of a parachute. Percy smirked slightly as he quickly reached the pair, the Manticores mane whipping in the wind like hair in a blow-dryer whilst the huntresses silver uniform somehow managed to keep its shape like it was made of steel opposed to gods knew what animals and synthetic materials.

Upon reaching the Manticore, Percy immediately reached into his pocket and found what he was looking for...his Patron's gift to him from so long ago.

Riptide.

Pulling out the small fountain looking pen, Percy immediately pulled off the small cap to the pen, which unleashed the magically enchanted blade to Percy's service, a long, leaf looking, celestial bronze blade that hummed with a faint bronze glow that simply added to the weapons enchanting and terrifying look.

With a new weapon firmly in his grasps, Percy drove the celestial bronze blade not just through the Manticores tail, but he drove the blade so far through the monster that he not only severed its tail, but he also managed to cut through one of its flailing legs like it was nothing more than thin air, the graceful blade making short work of the animals pathetic body in milliseconds.

Thorn howled in pain as his body slowly began to crumble to dust, each molecule leaking as it reverted back into his sickly grey monster essence as his being began its journey back to the damned hell hole of Tartarus. Percy let himself taunt his foe a little more as he finished him for the second time in a row in Greek.

"Nice try little lion man but I thought you would've learnt that I always win!" Percy growled as he shifted through the remains of his foe like it was a grey winters night snowfall towards his target in the still falling and screaming huntress.

Percy smiled as he pulled up alongside the huntress as he managed to grab her bridal style before pulling the shadows of the very mighty cliff face he had jumped off of to the pair as they tumbled to within metres of the violent, cold, dark and unforgiving sea.

* * *

(Artemis's P.O.V)

If there was any time that Artemis had been more dumbstruck concerning the stupidity of a male, then it must have been something bordering on insane because the male who had just jumped off of a cliff was currently sat at the top.

The moment Zoe was dragged over the edge by that damned monster, she almost felt her heart-break at the prospect of Zoe dying. She had been with Artemis since almost the very beginning of the hunters of Artemis and had served as he Lieutenant for countless years. She was like a sister to Artemis... and her best friend. Someone who had stood by her through thick and thin, seen hundreds of girls come and go ,fight and die. And for it to end like this was too much for Artemis. Out of everyone she had ever served with, Zoe deserved a place in the stars more than any hero to have ever existed.

So Artemis almost suffered a heart attack when what happened next occurred.

At first it seemed like the shadows themselves were bending towards a spot only fifteen or twenty metres from Lady Artemis and her hunters, shifting and twisting like they were alive as the air in the small clearing grew colder and colder with every passing second, sending it well past sub-zero. Artemis's very bones and blood grew cold at whatever was happening in front of her. It was terrifying for her girls as each one backed away in shock and horror, raising their bows, aiming at the shadows as they began to take the shape of not one person...but two.

"Lower your weapons and move up on this thing... we shall see what it wants and if it tries to attack. Put it down." Artemis hissed in a voice as cold as death itself as she and the rest of her hunters moved up until they were only several metres away from the anomaly as it finally settled into a physical shape with one figure carrying the other.

After several tense seconds, the shadows began to dissipate, and the last two people Artemis expected to see appeared in their wake.

Zoe and the crazy male.

Almost immediately, the boy set down Zoe on her feet with a certain air of respect and kindness and turned to Artemis before bowing to a perfect forty-five degree angle to the goddess even though she was in her thirteen year old form.

"Lady Artemis, it's an absolute honour to meet you." The boy spoke in flawless ancient Greek and spoke in a voice that seemed almost robotic it was so cold and lifeless. It seemed as if it's owner had stopped being human a long time ago... and that made it all the more terrifying. It also spoke of great pain and weight of responsibility.

He also appeared to be very well-informed of her hunters ways and traditions, touching a hunter for no longer than was absolutely necessary and bowing to the goddess that barely anybody recognised outside of the hunt.

' _My, my, my... something tells me this is no ordinary male'_ Artmeis thought to herself with a small amount of shock. However this was swiftly replaced with disbelief. This was due to the fact that when she finally got hit by the first wave of his power, Artemis nearly collapsed from its intensity.

' _What the Hades... this power is beyond most minor gods and some major gods...whoever the hell this is, if it turns violent, it could be one tough fight.'_

Shaking off her surprise from the initial comment and aspects of the boy, Artemis assumed her typical cold demeanour before finally replying to the male.

"Who may you be, boy?" Artemis sneered as several of her Hunters raised their bows as Zoe retreated to Artemis's side.

" I am nobody of great importance, my lady." He replied again in ancient Greek. Artemis tensed up slightly. She was used to people providing her with straight up answers and not being given cryptic and confusing answers from a boy no less.

"Why are you here?" She replied calmly, hoping that the boy would open up a little bit and provide her with a little more information. But he was as minimalistic as before.

"I am under orders to take my little brother and sister back to my father's realm..." He paused as he looked over Artemis's shoulder before continuing, "...which seems to have occurred rather painlessly. " He replied in his ice-cold voice as Artemis turned around to just catch sight of the two children of Hades, Bianca and Nico, being swiftly dragged into a shadow by Alecto, the leader of the three furies.

Artemis turned around with fury building up in her silver eyes as she turned back to face the mysterious male, bow raised and arrow knocked.

"Who are you?" She hissed as she took another step forwards.

"I am simply an errand boy I suppose, and I would appreciate it if you will let me take my leave." He replied coldly.

Artemis felt her eyes glow slightly as her power built up.

' _A mere boy is ordering ME to let him go peacefully, I should turn the fool into a jackalope but in all honesty If I bring him to my father like that he may not be all that happy...'_ The Virgin goddess of the moon thought to herself bitterly.

Artemis bit her lower lip before speaking again.

"You are a fool. You will come with me to my father and the council, and they will decide your fate." Artemis replied venomously, hoping that the arrogant boy would make a stupid move and simply give her and her hunters enough reason to put him down.

So to say she was shocked when he simply nodded his head and replied.

"I understand completely lady Artemis and..." But he was cut off as the foolish son of Poseidon raced forwards with his blade drawn.

* * *

(Zoe's P.O.V)

Zoe was only just coming out of shock when that arrogant, foolish boy from that silly little camp raced forwards towards the mysterious "errand boy" of Hades.

The boy's face was blood-red where he was so furious as he drew his sword from his side and went to place the tip up against the throat of the newcomer as he tried to come across as a superior being.

"How dare you interfere with a quest from Olympus! Who the hell..." But he never got to finish his sentence.

With what seemed a sigh of boredom, Zoe's saviour stepped to the side with a slight huff before he shot his left arm forwards at impossible speeds, knocking the blade away from his throat before twisting his upper body so that his right arm was now in perfect alignment with the fools elbow, before striking forwards with his right fist with the speed and accuracy of a viper striking its prey. When the boys fist connected with the other's elbow, there was a sickening crunch that sounded like a twig breaking underfoot or a branch being torn from a tree.

There was a howl of utter agony as the boy desperately tried to grip his now mangled elbow. The joint itself was popped completely out of position whilst the bone on either side was broken so badly that the jagged edges were clearly visible through the skin.

"Foolish child, you would do well to learn your place. Just because you can swing a sword and kill a monster doesn't make you a great fighter or hero. Go learn how to use that blade before I actually decide to hurt you." The armoured warrior spat in ancient Greek as he looked at the whimpering son of Poseidon with what Zoe could only assume was a look of pure hatred.

What was amazing was the boy's speed. It rivalled any hunter and made the other one look beyond slow.

' _A snail is probably faster than that_ boy.' Zoë thought to herself as a sneer marred her gorgeous face. Artemis looked at the armoured figure with a look of both amazement and, if Zoe was not mistaken, her ladyship also looked slightly impressed.

Finally, Artemis spoke again."

"You say you will come with me?" She asked casually as if the "interruption" had not occurred. Zoe smiled, her mistress was always one to turn a blind eye to violence if it helped put people in their place. The warrior nodded his head and walked forwards towards Artemis.

"I Perseus do swear on the River Styx that I will not fight back physically against the imprisonment Lady Artemis forces upon me, nor will I try to escape from the custody of Lady Artemis.

Know, however, my lady, that I will defend myself once the meeting is underway. As much as I love my undead friends, I have no real wish to join them." He stated solemnly before stopping about a metre away from Artemis whilst a deep, drum like thunder roared overhead, sealing his oath.

For a few seconds, Artemis seemed rather worried about the implications of taking this man to Olympus.

Eventually, she spoke.

"I will take you to the council and they can decide what to do with you,..." Artemis paused until she met Zoe's deep brown eyes with her own silver ones before continuing, "...Zoe, set up camp here whilst I help deal with this issue, and tend to the son of Poseidon, for as much as I dislike him, I doubt that his father will take his sons arm being left unattended to very well..." Artemis finished as she closed the gap between herself and the warrior.

"But my lady!" Was all Zoe could get out before her Lady and her mysterious saviour disappeared into a flash of blinding silver light.

* * *

(Percy's P.O.V)

Percy felt his entire stomach lurch when Artemis used her teleportation ability to drag him to Olympus.

When the intense light finally faded. Percy was met with a sight he did not want to see at all.

The throne rooms doors of Olympus.

Designed to be intimidating to all those bought to Olympus for crimes against the Gods or their fellow demigods or to express the ultimate authority of the Gods to all those who sought an audience with the Gods or those who live in the shadow of the main throne room. Standing at over twenty-five feet tall and made of solid gold, the doors were a sight to behold. Made in Hephaestus' main forge, the doors were adorned with scenes of great heroism from the Gods victory in the Giant and first titan wars, the battle of Troy to the original Perseus's exploits to kill Medusa. It was truly an awe-inspiring sight.

"I never thought that I would see these halls in all my years alive." Percy mused quietly to himself whilst a light snickering broke out behind him. "Why? Because you never thought you would get caught or because you never thought you'd be worthy enough to venture into these halls?" A feminine voice from behind retorted.

Percy spun around to be greeted by Artemis...but a lot different to how she normally appeared.

Now looking more like an eighteen year old girl, Artemis's long auburn coloured hair draped casually down her shoulders, flowing with the grace and beauty of the most undisturbed of rivers. Her figure was slender yet very buxom (a slight shock given the fact she was a maiden goddess.) whilst her skin was somewhere in between tanned and white, a perfect combination that gave her an air of natural beauty that Percy felt no-one could beat.

Her cheekbones were positioned high up her face, stretching her perfect skin to the point her cheeks still appeared full yet not fat. Her cheeks seemed to be naturally rouged whilst her lips were a luscious red that no amount of lipstick or other such things could ever hope to match, whilst her silver eyes radiated power and influence whilst remaining incredibly attractive to anyone who knew how to appreciate beauty.

Percy shook his head before speaking.

"I just simply didn't think I would get enough free time to do the former and that I wouldn't be in enough spotlight to afford the latter, Lady Artemis." Percy replied in his typically cold voice.

Artemis shook her head before waving her hands, commanding the great golden doors to slowly creep open. Once they were open enough, the duo stepped inside to be greeted by the council.

The hall itself was some thirty to forty metres tall and covered in countless paintings and etchings and decorations that it looked more like a Greek art gallery opposed to a throne room. Some hundreds of Pillars shot forth to the sky like trees looking for the sun, providing a somewhat Pantheon like feeling to the whole room. It looked beyond beautiful and amazing. But it was the thrones that truly captivated any and all who had been in the room.

Eleven thrones sat in a horse shoe shape that made the whole room insignificant. Each one was a Testament to each and every one of the Gods power and authority. Ten of said chairs sat occupied and filled with very grumpy and angry-looking Gods. Percy swallowed but strolled into the room with a calm confidence and serenity that caused several of the Gods to give him curious stares.

Artemis flashed to her seat before Percy could look around again, leaving him in the centre of a room filled with lots of angry Gods.

"Is this the boy you spoke to me about?" Bellowed a voice that sounded louder than the eye of even the greatest storm. Percy looked to the middle-aged man sat at the head throne. His hair was black with several gray spots in it whilst his face was handsome and his eyes and electrical blue.

Artemis nodded.

Percy bowed, "Lord Zeus, I am Perseus." He uttered in his ice-cold voice, his dead gaze meeting that of the king of the Gods... and winning their "death glare" contest.

"Who is your father or mother, boy?" He asked as calmly as he possibly could after staring into Percy's cold and dead gaze. Percy smiled slightly underneath his helmet before addressing Zeus again.

"My father is Lord Hades and my Mother is his Queen Persephone." At these words the entire Olympian council fell silent, hoping to any deity greater than themselves he was not a new God, until finally one of them spoke up.

"Well, well, well Percy, hasn't it been a long time?" A luscious female voice asked as one of the Gods glowed a verdant green before walking towards Percy, who couldn't help but smile.

"Too long indeed, Lady Demeter." Percy replied calmly as he walked towards the goddess of summertime. In her normally "elder" woman look, Her hair was slightly grey and her skin perfectly tanned. Her figure was just as elegant as any other goddess and her eyes a gorgeous green like Percy's.

Demeter smiled warmly at Percy before pulling him into a tight hug. "I think we've got a lot of catching up to do." She said calmly as she pulled out of the hug. Percy could not help but let a small, somewhat restrained laugh escape his lips before nodding as his adoptive grandmother returned to her fifteen foot godly height on her throne.

"YOU KNOW THIS CHILD? WHAT IS HE? A GOD?" Zeus bellowed, his master bolt appearing in his hands, a two foot long celestial bronze lightning bolt that literally burnt white at the power pouring through it...that was until a third person interjected before Demeter could reply.

"Zeus, If you have done ANYTHING TO MY PERCY I WILL TEAR OLYMPUS TO SHREDS!" Screeched an all too familiar, angry sounding Goddess.

"Oh hey mu..." Percy went to speak but was cut off as Persephone literally tackled her son with a hug so tight Percy thought his lungs were going to break in half. Firing off a million and one questions, Persephone spent almost a minute blubbering and asking countless questions until both Hades and Percy managed to calm her down whilst the council looked on in shock.

"Mum seriously, I AM FINE!" Percy stated clearly as he shook his mum slightly, causing her to finally calm down enough to take several breaths. She nodded her head calmly. Hades went to speak but was cut off by the Zeus.

"Damn it! All of you sit down and shut up! Seeing as neither of you have a throne, I suggest that you summon a throne and sit down it! We WILL have this discussion in order!" Zeus bellowed to Percy's parents.

After several moments of re-organising, Percy, his mother and father were all sat down in small thrones at the base of Demeter's throne.

Once the room had settled down, Zeus continued.

"So, Perseus, I ask you again, seeing as you are the son of my brother Hades and his queen Persephone, I take it that you are a God?" He asked as calmly as he possibly could whilst the rest of the room tensed, hoping that it wasn't the case. Percy smiled again under his helmet.

"No lord Zeus, I am no god, I am but the adopted son of Hades and Persephone. They took me in once my birth mother was killed..." Percy stated coldly as he shot a vicious yet hidden glare at Ares, his blood literally boiling in rage, taking a deep breath before continuing, "...my birth farther is Poseidon and my birth mother Adriana Gredurkas of Sparta." Percy finished calmly.

At these words, the entirety of the Olympian council froze, especially Poseidon who simply shrunk into his chair as seemingly a million things flashed back to him at once, rendering him silent as memories of the past flooded back into his mind.

"What do you mean Adriana Gredurkas of Sparta? Sparta has not existed as a city-state for millennia unless..." The blond-haired and grey eyed Athena mused until Percy cut her off.

"Yes, a little over two thousand fiver hundred years ago, Lord Hades made me partially immortal on my fourteenth birthday once I has snuck past Ladon himself and stole an apple from the tree of immortality, using an age prevention spell that preserves my age whilst not allowing my years to catch up with me once it is removed..." Perseus paused as the entire Olympian council attempted to comprehend the ramifications of such a long living child of the big three, except for Demeter. Even Athena herself was struggling...

"If what you say is true, then what have you been doing for all of this time?" Artemis sneered...she clearly knew that there was more to Percy's story than he was letting on. Swallowing slightly, Percy picked his next words very carefully.

"For great periods of time between hunting monsters that this council forgot about over the ages, I trained with the greatest heroes to have ever lived. From Theseus to Achilles and the original Perseus and for a little while Orion." Percy stated as calmly as he possibly could, hoping to avoid another barrage of questions.

So Percy was surprised at Artemis's next question.

"Why only 'a little while' with Orion?" Artemis asked curiously whilst her brother, Apollo, raised his sunglasses in anticipation.

"Percy is ruthless when it comes to men who mistreat women. When he found out Orion's 'antics' were true, Percy forced Hades to give him a physical body so he could beat the crap out of him before designing a special little area for him to reside in within the fields of punishment which he has resided in for well over two thousand years... and I don't think Percy has any intention of letting him go any time soon..." Persephone stated calmly as she smiled at Percy, who simply nodded his armoured head.

Apollo nodded his head in approval.

"I like this kid, Orion was a right dick." He grumbled whilst smiling slightly at Percy. Percy turned his head to see Artemis looking somewhat flustered and slightly embarrassed, as if she were trying to get over the fact that she had brought the man who took care of her most hated enemy to his potential death.

Zeus held up his hand and spoke once again.

"As much as I would love to hear more of these stories, there is the simple fact of what we should do with the boy. His is powerful and could therefore be a threat to us going forwards, as could his brother and sister..."

"They will be loyal. If it troubles you so much then simply send them to camp, I mean after all they will be important pieces in the upcoming war." Hestia stated calmly as she walked into the centre of the room in her average, twenty-five year old woman look.

Percy smiled underneath his helm before the gravity of the words that she had just spoken hit home...

* * *

(Artemis' P.O.V)

"YOU CANNOT EXPECT ME TO GO TO CAMP WITH THOSE **WEAKLINGS**!" Perseus roared as he stood up from his seat faster than anyone previously thought possible whilst black flames slowly began to lick around his armour... flickering and prancing from piece to piece like the most elegant and agile of ballerinas.

Persephone whispered something into his ear that caused the flames to dissipate whilst Hestia stood there with her arms crossed with a somewhat annoyed look on her face.

"It's that or get blasted into a million pieces Percy." Hestia replied calmly.

At these words, Percy slumped back down into his chair in defeat, knowing his "aunt" was right.

"I take it you knew about the boy as well?" Zeus growled from his throne. Hestia nodded her head calmly before she spoke again.

"I said nothing because it was not my place to say anything." Hestia told Zeus calmly, who simply seemed to literally shrink into his own damned chair from the cold and steely gaze he was placed under, causing Artemis to mentally giggle somewhat. Despite supposedly being the strongest God, Zeus was still terrified of the power of his elder sister.

"It was a sound strategy father. The boy needed time to grow into the warrior Artemis claims he is. The time lock spell helps in that if something were to happen to Thalia then we would have the perfect replacement for her. But in general the boy holds no grudges towards us, so it would be unwise to kill arguably the greatest weapon in this war we have over 'what ifs' and other such petty thoughts." Athena added calmly to Hestia's words, clearly hoping that the words would sway any borderline Gods to back the motion to let the boy live.

"Okay all we have to do now is put all of this to a vote I suppose..." Zeus stated calmly as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Who thinks that we should execute the boy before he becomes a threat?" Zeus asked calmly.

Only Dionysus and Zeus raised their hands.

"All for letting the boy train at camp half-blood?"

Artemis raised her hand and was glad to see the other nine Olympians raise their hand with her. She couldn't tell what it was about Percy, but something told Artemis that he was going to be important at some stage in of the upcoming trials... and that he also deserved her respect for taking care of Orion.

"It is decided then. Perseus will go to camp half-blood for at least six months until he is either proven loyal or simply proves not be a threat." Zeus roared over the numerous insults that were being thrown Dionysus' way.

But it was Percy's last words before the council adjourned that best summed up the whole situation for the powerful child of Hades...

"Well shit!

Percy, Hades, Persephone, Demeter and Hestia all stood around in the throne room catching up for several minutes as the vast majority of Gods disappeared from the throne room in various amazing and somewhat over the top explosions of gold and reds and sometimes blue.

Eventually only Poseidon, Zeus and Artemis were remaining outside of the group. The first two were in a deep conversation about something whilst Poseidon continued to sit in his chair a blank expression on his face as he continued to literally swim in his past from what Percy could see.

"Percy, I would appreciate it if you would try NOT to kill anyone whilst at camp. It may be the best action but sometimes the shockwave's it deals out and its aftermath are not really worth it in some places, and Camp Half-Blood will be one of those places." Persephone warned her son sweetly. At this Percy could only smile slightly and nod before replying in ancient Greek.

"I will do my best mother. But if they hurt my brother and sister whilst we are there then I will personally send them to father the fast way." Percy practically growled the last part. At first Persephone seemed to be trying to win a staring battle with Percy but she swiftly caved in before simply letting out a small sigh before vanishing in a storm of petals and leaves in full blossom.

Percy turned away from the small spring hurricane only to be crushed in a hug by his father. "Listen to your mother, she is only thinking about what is best for you. But do not hesitate to eliminate any threat to yourself if necessary." Hades informed Percy calmly who could only nod slightly as he was still in shock from his father's public display of affection.

"I will farther... that was my plan from the start." Percy replied calmly but with a slight cocky edge to it that only caused Hades to laugh before melting into a plethora of screaming shadows and shades before vanishing from the throne room.

"I will let my daughter Katie know that you will be staying in my cabin whilst you are confined to that hell-hole." Demeter informed Percy calmly as their green gazes met. Percy went to protest but Demeter cut him off.

"I will not allow a grandson of mine to be cooped up in that damned Hermes cabin on the floor for the rest of your stay." Demeter stiffly informed Percy who quickly relented.

"When she's got her mind-set she's sure got it set..." Percy grumbled as his grandmother vanished in a bright green light.

A light chuckle from behind caused Percy to smile as his gaze was met with that of his Patrons. "You did well Percy. Not many people would handle themselves so calmly in front of the Gods... or so fiercely."

Hestia smiled warmly as she pulled Percy into a tight embrace.

"I only acted how one should with these damned Olympians, Aunty." Percy replied calmly as his patron slowly wrapped an arm around his shoulder before slowly dragging him over to one dejected looking god of the seas.

Poseidon looked to be a man of around forty to forty-five years of age like his brother with several streaks of grey running through his hair. His skin was well tanned and slightly leathery looking in some ways like that of a white man living in a hot country like South Africa. His figure was well-built yet somewhat slender like any self-respecting surf-boarder that easily seemed to put some of the "younger" looking Gods to shame. His jaw-line was strong and defined as if carved in marble whilst his nose was perfect and unhindered by breaks and what not all the way down.

His eyes though were the giveaway that he was no ordinary man.

A deep sea-green like Percy's, Poseidon's eyes seemed to be full of life and joy when he was happy, the colour of his eyes dancing around his pupils like the most playful of morning waves. When angered and upset, his eyes transformed into a green so dark that they may as well be as black as the ocean during the darkest night. But during both occasions, there was no doubt as to the power he wielded...because just like Percy's own, his eyes were as deep as the oceans themselves...and spoke of the fury he was truly capable of unleashing.

"Lord Poseidon." Percy stated as he bowed to his birth father only a metre from the step he was sat down at, in his human height. At Percy's voice, he lifted his head out of his hands and closed the distance between the pair. He stood there as if analysing him for any lies or deceit about his age and birth father...but he clearly found none when he spoke up next.

"Perseus...I'm...so, so, so, so sorry. I would have helped but..." Percy cut off his birth fathers tear-choked voice with a small wave of his hand.

"It is fine my lord, I know of the ancient laws...", at these words Poseidon brightened up slightly but Percy continued before he could speak, "...But I also need you to understand that Hades is my farther and has been for two thousand years." At these words the God of the seas expression became so heart-broken that Percy had to fight the urge to hold the old man and stop him from bawling his eyes out.

"But that does not mean I cannot have two in my life or a close uncle..." Percy replied calmly as he extended his hand towards the now happier looking God of the sea. Poseidon looked at his hand for a moment before extending his own and grasping Percy's hand in a vice like grip.

"I would love that Perseus. I just hope I can make amends for leaving you on your own for so long." He replied solemnly before disappearing in a gentle sea breeze that one encountered first thing in the morning.

Percy slowly let out a huge breath that he didn't know he had been holding as he turned towards his patron.

"That went a lot better than I expected." Hestia said playfully as Percy shot her an annoyed glare from underneath his helm, however it was soon replaced with a mirthful look and small chuckle as Percy replied.

"You and me both. I thought he was going to start crying like a baby." Percy responded calmly, causing his patron to chuckle softly.

"I'm sure that I would have been the one doing all of that comforting he would need. After all you're not good at that kind of stuff, are you?" Hestia replied whilst fighting off more chuckles as they both slowly set out towards the only other remaining God in the room.

Artemis.

"Would you mind telling me what all of that was about?" Hestia asked the goddess calmly as the pair drew nearer Artemis.

The leader of the hunt sighed heavily as she turned towards the somewhat unlikely duo with a expressionless face before speaking.

"I was just asked by my father to get Perseus to camp along with my hunters and those three kids from camp Half-Blood." Artemis replied with a somewhat annoyed tone in her voice as she slowly closed the distance between the three of them. Percy laughed a little before speaking.

"Lady Artemis, it's absolutely fine. I can make my own way to that lovely little hell-hole." He replied sarcastically, which to his surprise, caused Artemis to chuckle slightly.

"Unfortunately, I am under orders to get you there safely so you're going to have to come with me – no chains though this time." Artemis replied dryly as Percy stepped forwards, nodding his head slightly.

"Well then we may as well get this over and done with," Percy paused briefly to quickly send a small bow back to his patron and aunt, "...I promise I will try to get into as little trouble as possible and I will try not to kill any annoying brats whilst I'm there Aunty...but no guarantees."

Percy stated in a slightly mischievous voice. Hestia laughed before nodding and then speaking to her niece.

"I trust my champion will remain safe whilst around your hunters, niece?" She asked calmly but firmly...indicating the hell that would be literally raised if Artemis failed to meet her requests.

Artemis nodded timidly before Hestia vanished in a plethora of flames that danced like the Russian ballet itself.

Percy smiled slightly until a small yet strong hand placed itself on his shoulder whilst a familiar female voice rang out behind Percy.

"We need to talk a little."

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_

 _ **Nothing really much to add, apart from I should have a couple of edited chapters out soon ! That and obviously drop a review and go check out my new stories, especially the Life I live !**_

 _ **Peace,**_

 _ **Mantis.**_


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